Test Review

11. Canada has proposed an action plan to address climate change and air pollution. The action plan will reduce the impact of greenhouse gases and pollutants on the environment and human health. Which of the following claims about the Canadian action plan is best supported by the data in the graph?

• The plan encourages the transition from electricity generation from nuclear power to electricity generation from cleaner-burning natural gas.
• The plan focuses on increasing regulation on installation and maintenance of catalytic converters in vehicle exhaust systems.
• The plan supports phasing out traditional coal power plants and transitioning to sources like hydroelectricity, wind, and solar power.
• The plan provides a strategy for reducing the amount of plastic wastes in landfills through the production of long-lasting and durable plastics.

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NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1

12. Particulates can be removed from smokestack emissions by which of the following methods?

• Irradiation by UV light
• Electrostatic precipitators
• Catalytic converters
• Liquid chromatography
• Exhaust-stream aeration

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NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

13. Which of the following would most likely neutralize the effect of acid rain on bodies of water, based on the composition of soils and bedrock in the region?

• An area downwind of a coal-burning electrical plant
• A valley that is frequently shrouded in fog
• A forest underlain by limestone
• An open plain underlain by granite

14. Of the following, which is true of noise pollution?

• Noise pollution is an insignificant occupational hazard.
• Noise at 100 decibels has twice the energy of noise at 50 decibels.
• Hearing damage occurs most quickly when the intensity level of the sound is low.
• In urban areas, few individuals are exposed to noise pollution.
• Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss.

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NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

15. Bats use echolocation to find prey by emitting high-pitched bursts of sound and analyzing the reflection. Scientists studying a population of bats in a forest observed that their population size had declined in the years following the completion of a nearby highway. Based on the information above, which of the following best explains how noise pollution from the highway has affected the size of the bat population?

• The highway noise is decreasing the bats’ echolocation, allowing them to catch more prey each night.
• The highway noise is interfering with bats’ echolocation, preventing them from successfully locating and catching prey as they fly.
• The highway noise is producing sound waves that disrupt air flow, preventing the bats from flying at night.
• The highway noise is attracting more bats to the forest, causing an increase in intraspecies competition.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

16. Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid deposition problems?

• Using higher smokestacks
• Reducing use of fossil fuels
• Developing acid-resistant crops
• Adding lime to acidified lakes
• Relocating power plants to areas of lower population density

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

17. Which of the following best describes a potential unintended negative consequence of implementing measures to control acid deposition?

• A reduction in environmental lead, leading to decreased negative health effects in humans and wildlife
• A reduction in sulfur for crops as a result of less acidic rainfall, leading to an increased need for sulfur supplements
• A reduction in mortality rates in freshwater aquatic organisms from an increase in pH of the water
• A reduction in mortality rates in freshwater aquatic organisms from an increase in p H of the water
• A reduction in acid mine drainage, resulting from a reduced need for nuclear fuel and uranium mining

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NGSS.HS-LS2-7

18. Over a three-year period, a city’s environmental protection department measured the particulate matter ( PM2.5 ) in a ten-square-mile area around one of the city’s coal-fired power plants. The annual mean level of PM2.5 measured was 20.0μg/m3 over the three-year study period. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard ( NAAQS ) for PM2.5 is an annual mean level of 12.0μg/m3 , averaged over three years. The city instructs the manager of the power plant to propose a plan to aid the city in meeting the NAAQS for PM2.5 in the area around the power plant over the next ten years. Which of the following would be the most effective plan for the manager to propose to the city?

• Install catalytic converters at the plant.
• Install vapor recovery nozzles at the plant.
• Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant.
• Burn lignite coal instead of bituminous coal at the plant.

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NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

19. Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators collect enormous amounts of particulate matter (coal ash) at coal-burning power plants. Which of the following best describes an environmental disadvantage of using industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators for pollution abatement?

• Coal ash contains toxic levels of several different pollutants, so when it is collected and stored long-term in coal ash ponds, there is increased risk of exposure to toxic metals.
• Coal ash is highly flammable, and it is very hazardous to ship the materials to hazardous waste landfills.
• Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators cannot remove fine particles like dust and smoke from the waste, so a secondary measure must be used.
• Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators are very costly to install and increase the cost of operating coal-burning power plants, leading to increased costs for consumers.

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NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

20. Which of the following air pollutants is correctly paired with one of its major effects?

• Particulates . . production of photochemical smog
• Radon . . global climate change
• Sulfur oxides . . acid deposition
• Lead . . skin cancer
• Carbon oxides . . ozone layer depletion