Which process of the water cycle is being described below?
A plant's loss of water, mainly through the stomata of leaves, is called _______________.
transpiration
This brownish-orange haze gets its name from sunlight initiating several chemical reactions that collectively form its ingredients. This was first noted in Los Angeles in the 1940s, and is generally worse during the summer months.
photochemical smog
These are compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. An example of this compound is benzene (C6H6), a colorless liquid formed from both human-made activities (burning coal and oil) and natural processes (volcanoes and forest fires).
Volatile organic compounds
Biofuels are a renewable source that is fairly controversial. Which of the following is a point someone opposed to biofuels would likely bring up?
a. Land used to grow biofuels could be used to grow food that could feed people instead
b. Use of biofuels is environmentally taxing and requires an extensive mining process to obtain the biofuels
c. Biofuels produce heat for energy at a low relative cost
d. Hydroelectric energy can affect fish migration patterns
a. Land used to grow biofuels could be used to grow food that could feed people instead
What is the name for a group of crows?
a. a colony
b. a troop
c. a cloud
d. a murder
d. a murder
Which result is most likely to occur after excessive withdrawal of groundwater in coastal areas?
a. Increased reliance on irrigation because of the drier soil conditions
b. Dilution of brackish water in estuarine ecosystems
c. Reduced efficiency of local desalination facilities
d. Intrusion of salt water into aquifers
d. Intrusion of salt water into aquifers
Which of the following statements best describes photochemical smog in large cities in the United States?
a. photochemical smog is more prevalent during winter months
b. photochemical smog causes negative health impacts, such as eye irritation and lung irritation
c. photochemical smog contains secondary pollutants that form when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide interact in the atmosphere
d. photochemical smog is composed of primary and secondary pollutants that are not reactive
b. photochemical smog causes negative health impacts, such as eye irritation and lung irritation
Ground level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from
a. burning coal
b. burning fuel for cooking
c. producing electric power
d. industrial emissions
e. motor-vehicle exhaust
e. motor-vehicle exhaust
Which of the following is true of farm-raised salmon?
a. They are more genetically diverse than their wild counterparts
b. They seldom escape from their containment areas
c. They have no impact on the quality of the water in which they are raised
d. They are often infected with parasites and sea lice
e. They are maintained at lower population densities than are wild salmon
d. They are often infected with parasites and sea lice
Lemurs, a type of primate, are native to what island nation?
Madagascar
Which of the following would most likely reduce the concentration of ground-level ozone in the air of a city?
a. release of chlorofluorocarbons into the air of the city
b. occurrence of several consecutive days of sunny weather
c. release of VOCs into the air of the city
d. decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides
d. decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides
An urban heat island is an urban area in which temperatures are warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Which would not mitigate the urban heat island effect?
a. using green roofs
b. using white or reflective materials for building
c. creating roads made of asphalt
d. green parking lots
c. creating roads made of asphalt
Last week, we learned about a sustainable city called Curitiba. Which map shows Curitiba?
a.
The Tragedy of the Commons illustrates how
a. The pursuit of short-term individual gain often leads to long term collective costs
b. The cost of a product also includes the cost of utilization of common property
c. “Commons” are real resources that are owned collectively by people occupying an area
d. Common people who work for a living are often victims of environmental exploitation
a. The pursuit of short-term individual gain often leads to long term collective costs
A common basilisk, also known as the Jesus Christ Lizard, is known for its ability to:
a. cause hallucinations if you lick it
b. shoot blood out of its eyes
c. walk on water
d. appear to come back from the dead
c. walk on water
Which of the following best describes an environmental advantage of urbanization?
a. Individuals living in cities have more varied employment opportunities than individuals living in rural areas.
b. Individuals living in cities have greater access to health care than individuals living in rural areas.
c. Individuals living in cities usually have greater access to fresh, local agricultural products than individuals living in rural areas.
d. Individuals living in cities usually have a lower transportation carbon footprint than individuals living in rural areas.
d. Individuals living in cities usually have a lower transportation carbon footprint than individuals living in rural areas.
Access to mass transit and the ability to walk or bike around the city reduces the ecological footprint of individual city residents. This is an advantage of urbanization.
After a heavy rainstorm, vegetation on a hillslope was completely removed. How will this removal of vegetation affect the relative amounts of infiltration and runoff that occur during the next heavy rainstorm?
a. infiltration and runoff will both be less
b. infiltration and runoff will both be greater
c. infiltration will be less and runoff will be greater
d. infiltration will be greater and runoff will be less
c. infiltration will be less and runoff will be greater
A new 450-unit housing development will replace several small farms on the outskirts of Fremont. The development will be composed of 1/4 hectare lots with nearly identical footprints, as shown below. Which of the following will be the greatest impact of the development on the local water supply?
a. there will be less recharge of groundwater
b. there will be less runoff to fill reservoirs
c. there will be higher humidity in the suburb
d. there will be decreased soil exposure, reducing bacteria loads in surface water
e. there will be decreased erosion in local streams
a. there will be less recharge of groundwater
A scientist took a 50 mL sample of soil from behind his home. He put the soil into a jar and mixed it with water. Then he let the particles settle. His results are shown in the diagram on the right. Clay is 12 mL, silt is 8 mL, and sand is 30 mL.
Based on the soil triangle below, what is the texture of the 50 mL sample of soil?
sandy clay loam
Which mammal is known to have the most powerful bite in the world?
How does tropospheric ozone form?
include nitrogen dioxide, atmospheric oxygen, and sunlight in your answer
formed when nitrogen dioxide is broken down by sunlight into nitrogen monoxide and a lone oxygen, then the lone oxygen reacts with atmospheric oxygen (O2), forming ozone O3
All or nothing - for each pair, identify the condition that leads to a higher incidence of photochemical smog
wet climate, dry climate
cool climate, warm climate
city in a valley, city on a hill
urban area, rural area
low wind, windy
many tall buildings, few tall buildings
low population, high population
cloudy climate, sunny climate
dry climate
warm climate
city in a valley
urban area
low wind
many tall buildings
high population
sunny climate
What is Curitiba doing to reduce litter?
Garbage purchase program
Poor people exchange filled garbage bags for bus tokens, surplus food (eggs, butter, rice, beans), or school notebooks
Encourages garbage pickup from unplanned squatter settlements, where garbage trucks cannot drive, that surround the city
Bus service provided to squatter settlements, allowing settlers to seek employment in the city
What is the name of the fishing technique shown below?
Purse Seine
A purse seine is a large wall of netting deployed around an entire area or school of fish.
What unique adaptation allows the blobfish, often dubbed the "world's ugliest fish," to thrive in its deep-sea habitat?
A) Bioluminescent skin
B) Gelatinous body structure
C) Inflatable swim bladder
D) Thermal camouflage
B) Gelatinous body structure