Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
100
Of the following, which is true of noise pollution? (A) Noise pollution is an insignificant occupational hazard (B) Noise at 100 decibels has twice the energy of noise at 50 decibels (C) Hearing damage occurs most quickly when the intensity level of the sound is low (D) In the urban areas, few indiviuals are exposed to noise pollution (E) Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss
(E) Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss
100
If a country has a crude birth rate of 24 per 1000 and a crude death rate of 8 per 1000, the natural annual percent increase of its population is (A) 0.6% (B) 1.6% (C) 3% (D) 16% (E) 32%
(B) 1.6%
100
Which of the following shows the approximate concentration of CO2, N2, and O2 in dry air? CO2 N2 O2 (A) 78% <1% 21% (B) 43% <1% 56% (C) 36% 8% 56% (D) 10% 70% 20% (E) <1% 78% 21%
CO2 N2 O2 (E) <1% 78% 21%
100
Which of the following best illustrates an abiotic component of the environment affecting a biotic component of the environment? (A) Composted manure is added to agricultural soil during spring tilling (B) Coral reefs modify the direction of an ocean current (C) Plants release O2 into the atmosphere during photosynthesis (D) Low phosphorus content in soil limits the growth of vegetation (E) A thick planting of ground cover reduces soil erosion on a hillside
(D) Low phosphorus content in soil limits the growth of vegetation
100
Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions? (A) New York City, New York (B) Los Angeles, California (C) Portland, Oregon (D) Atlanta, Georgia (E) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(B) Los Angeles, California
200
Which of the following best describes the first law of thermodynamics? (A) Energy always changes from a more useful, more concentrated form to a less useful, less concentrated form (B) In a closed system of constant mass, the energy involved in any physical or chemical change is neither created nor destroyed, but merely changed from one form to another (C) Heat always flows from a hot body to a cold body (D) Entropy of a system increases as the state of disorganization in the system increases (E) In a reversible process, the entropy of the system is constant, whereas in an irreversible process, the entropy of the system increases
(B) In a closed system of constant mass, the energy involved in any physical or chemical change is neither created nor destroyed, but merely changed from one form to another
200
What two main factors would best indicate the quality of life of a country's population? (A) The total fertility rate and the death rate (B) The crude birth rate and crude death rate (C) The birth rate and the infant mortality rate (D) The replacement-level fertility rate and the total fertility rate (E) The life expectancy and the infant mortality rate
(E) The life expectancy and the infant mortality rate
200
Rachel Carson's contributions to the environmental movement include which of the following? (A) Altering the public to the hazardous waste problem at the Love Canal (B) Increasing public awareness of the risks of using pesticides (C) Starting the first Earth Day in 1970 (D) Discovering the thinning of the ozone layer in polar regions (E) Being the first female administrator of the EPA
(B) Increasing public awareness of the risks of using pesticides
200
In a typical forest ecosystem, dead trees and fallen trees are most important because of their role in which of the following? (A) Providing a valuable source of timber (B) Providing habitats for wildlife (C) Contributing to soil erosion (D) Increasing water runoff (E) Removing carbon dioxide from the air
(B) Providing habitats for wildlife
200
Possible effects of a warmer atmosphere include which of the following? I. Expanded ranges of tropical diseases II. More intense hurricanes and typhoons III. Increased crop damage from pests and diseases (A) I only (B) II only (C) I and III only (D) II and III only (E) I, II, and III
(E) I, II, and III
300
When a rain forest is slashed and burned, the local concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. This is primarily due to (A) changes in the local climate (B) oxidation of carbon compounds (C) cellular respiration of rain-forest plants (D) erosion of exposed soil (E) carbon dioxide being released by anaerobic organisms
(B) oxidation of carbon compounds
300
Pollution is considered an external cost when (A) it has harmful effects borne only by the people who purchase the products that cause the pollution (B) the cost to the environment is not reflected in the price of the products that produce the pollution (C) it has a significant impact on the consumer's decision to buy a product that pollutes (D) it is a hidden cost that would result in a greater demand for the product if the consumer were aware of the hidden cost (E) it is produced in the external environment by a malfunction in the operation of the product
(B) the cost to the environment is not reflected in the price of the products that produce the pollution
300
A sustainable society would emphasize (A) maintaining the current rates of energy flow and resource use (B) converting the world's high-quality energy resources to low-quality heat (C) recycling both matter and high-quality energy (D) using energy efficiently and reusing and recycling matter (E) quickly expanding nuclear power, because it is a renewable resource
(D) using energy efficiently and reusing and recycling matter
300
A large forested area is fragmented into small forest tracts seperated by agricultural areas. This change will most likely lead to (A) an increase in the population of top carnivores (B) an improvement in the dispersal mechanisms of forest species (C) a more stable regional climate (D) a decrease in the amount of edge habitat (E) a decrease in the gene flow within species of the original forest
(E) a decrease in the gene flow within species of the original forest
300
Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is produced by domestic livestock? (A) NO2 (B) CH4 (C) O3 (D) CO (E) SO2
(B) CH4
400
In 1997 the World Resources Institute estimated the world's proven oil reserves to be 1,000 billion barrels and the ultimately unrecoverable reserves to be 2,000 billion barrels. The table below shows the world consumption of oil from 1986 to 1997. Year Consumption (million barrels per day) 1986 62 1987 63 1988 65 1989 66 1990 66 1991 67 1992 67 1993 67 1994 68 1995 70 1996 72 1997 74 At the 1997 rate of consumption, about how long will the estimated 2,000 billion barrels of oil last? (A) 25 years (B) 50 years (C) 75 years (D) 200 years (E) 500 years
(C) 75 years
400
In 1997 the World Resources Institute estimated the world's proven oil reserves to be 1,000 billion barrels and the ultimately unrecoverable reserves to be 2,000 billion barrels. The table below shows the world consumption of oil from 1986 to 1997. Year Consumption (million barrels per day) 1986 62 1987 63 1988 65 1989 66 1990 66 1991 67 1992 67 1993 67 1994 68 1995 70 1996 72 1997 74 What was the approximate percent increase in consumption from 1986 to 1997? (A) 10% (B) 20% (C) 30% (D) 50% (E) 80%
(B) 20%
400
Which of the following is most typically associated with the transition from a rural to an urbanized society? (A) Reduced birth rates (B) Reduced need for sewage-treatment facilities (C) Increased rates of population growth (D) Increased air quality in urban areas (E) Increased stabilization of microclimate in urban areas
(A) Reduced birth rates
400
Distance from Mainland Island (Kilometers) Area(hectares) (B) B 50 1 x 10^6 Five islands, A, B, C, D, and E, differ only in distance from the mainland, area, and species diversity. Which island would be predicted to have the highest species diversity Distance from Mainland Island (Kilometers) Area(hectares) (A) A 50 1 x 10^2 (B) B 50 1 x 10^6 (C) C 500 1 x 10^2 (D) D 1,000 1 x 10^2 (E) E 1,000 1 x 10^6
Distance from Mainland Island (Kilometers) Area(hectares) (B) B 50 1 x 10^6
400
Which of the following best illustrates point-source pollution? (A) Toxic sediments in the delta of a major city (B) Increases in NOx in a traffic-clogged city (C) Dust blowing off unpaved roads (D) Smoke emitted from forest fires (E) Smokestack emissions from a large smelting company
(E) Smokestack emissions from a large smelting company
500
The net annual primary productivity of a particular wetland ecosystem is found to be 8,000 kcal/m^2 per year. If respiration by the aquatic producers is 12,000 kcal/m^2 per year, what is the gross annual primary productivity for this ecosystem, in kcal/m^2 per year? (A) 4,000 (B) 8,000 (C) 12,000 (D) 20,000 (E) 96,000
(D) 20,000
500
The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States are (A) soil erosion, volcanoes, and forest fires (B) soil erosion, volcanoes, and energy production (C) industry, construction, and agriculture (D) industry, transportation, and energy production (E) industry, transportation, and agriculture
(D) industry, transportation, and energy production
500
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an effect of global warming? (a) Loss of fertile delta regions for agriculture (b) Change in global patterns of precipitation (c) Extinction of some species that have narrow temperature requirements (d) Decreased rate of photosynthesis in vegetation (e) Increased frequency of hurricanes
(d) Decreased rate of photosynthesis in vegetation
500
Most municpal solid waste in the United States is disposed of in (A) the oceans (B) sanitary landfills (C) deep wells (D) open dumps (E) abandoned mines
(B) sanitary landfills
500
Which of the following would likely reduce the threats posed by exotic species to native species? I. Increasing inspections of goods coming into a country II. Mandating the bilgewater from vessels be emptied in ports instead of in the open ocean III. Enforcing legislation that restricts imported materials such as untreated wooden packing crates (A) I only (B) II only (C) III only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, and III
(D) I and III only
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