Earth Science Review #2

How will the presence of power plants burning fossil fuels most likely affect the water cycle?

• Sulfur and nitrogen emissions dissolve in rainwater to form acid rain.

• Runoff containing emissions causes very large algal blooms in ponds.

• Emissions cause the pH of water to change from 5.1 to 8.3.

• It will decrease the accumulation of water in the ocean.

Acid precipitation can dissolve aluminum from soil. As aluminum is dissolved, it can flow into lakes and contaminate the water. High concentrations of aluminum in lakes is fatal to many forms of aquatic life. This scenario provides evidence for which of these concepts?

• Environmental change can impact the quality of life for living organisms.

• Environmental change always has a negative impact on organisms.

• Acid rain is the most important environmental problem to address.

• Acid rain is the leading cause of death to fish in lakes.

A student created a diagram of farmland with runoff from cornfields to a nearby pond. What was the student probably trying to model?

• how acid rain kills pond plants

• how pond water is use to irrigate crops

• how fertilizers can get into ponds and cause algae blooms

• how toxic chemicals from industrial wastes can poison pond water

Which best explains why population growth can result in water shortages and rationing in certain areas?

• Aquifers recharge slowly.

• Lake water is reserved for recreation.

• Increasing biomass decreases evaporation rates.

• Tall buildings impede the development of rain clouds.

Which human activity directly affects the quality of freshwater resources?

• depleting the ozone layer

• burning gasoline in car engines

• throwing trash out of car windows

• allowing runoff from agricultural fields

Raising livestock, such as sheep and cattle, results in the production of large amounts of methane gas. Methane has the same effect in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. As more livestock are raised to provide food for humans, what is the most likely effect of the increase in methane?

• acid rain

• ozone thinning

• water pollution

• global warming

Certain lakes in the northeastern part of the United States have had decreases in pH levels, causing the deaths of many fish. What is the most likely reason for this change in pH levels?

• nuclear power plants

• hydroelectric power plants

• coal-burning factories

• noncommercial farms

Paleoclimatologists study the climate and its changes throughout Earth’s history. What observation by paleoclimatologists led scientists to predict that the average temperature of the planet is rising due to the combustion of fossil fuels?

• increases in average temperatures with increasing volcanic activity

• direct correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide level and global temperature

• a recent rise in global temperature as atmospheric pollution increased

• changes in sea level that correspond to average global temperature

The graph above shows global carbon dioxide emissions and how temperatures have varied from the mean temperature. Which conclusion is scientifically valid and supported by the empirical evidence reported in the graph?

• The increase in mean temperature directly resulted in an increase of carbon dioxide emissions.

• The increase in mean temperature directly resulted in a decrease of carbon dioxide emissions.

• The increase in carbon dioxide emissions directly resulted in an increase of mean temperature.

• The increase in carbon dioxide emissions directly resulted in a decrease of mean temperature.

As global temperatures increase, certain organisms will be more affected than others. The changes associated with global warming may result in an increase in sea level. Which organisms will be affected most as a result of the change in sea level?

• birds that eat fish from shallow waters

• fish that live in coral reefs in shallow waters

• mammals that swim in cold, deep ocean waters

• crustaceans at the bottom of deep sea ocean waters