Human Impact on the Environment

Global warming has been linked to a decrease in 

• the size of the polar ice caps 
• the temperature of Earth 
• the rate of species extinction 
• the rate of carbon dioxide production

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Which human activity is correctly paired with its likely future consequence?

• overfishing in the Atlantic — increase in supply of flounder and salmon as food for people 
• development of electric cars or hybrid vehicles — increased rate of global warming 
• use of fossil fuels — depletion of underground coal, oil, and natural gas supplies 
• genetically engineering animals — less food available to feed the world’s population

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Deforestation by burning has been described as a "double whammy" to the environment, meaning it has 2 negative impacts. Why is this description accurate? 

• Forest burning releases CO₂ while decreasing oxygen, which disrupts cycles
• Deforestation reduces the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, which depletes the ozone layer
• Forest clearing is often followed by land development, which often leads to increased noise pollution
• Deforestation increases the number of plant and animal species by destroying habitat

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Approximately 75 percent of the Earth's surface is covered in water. So why is water considered such a precious resource?

• The greenhouse effect is causing most of the world's freshwater to be trapped in the atmosphere
• Only a small fraction of the Earth's water is freshwater available for drinking and irrigation
• Each year, more freshwater is being trapped in icecaps located at the North and South Poles
• Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions will likely cause Earth's oceans to evaporate

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Which of the following historical events most likely triggered the largest increase in the human population? 

• the Black Death plague, which occurred in the mid-1300s
• the domestication of wheat crops, which began around 8000 B.C
• the fall of the Roman Empire, which occurred around A.D. 800
• the Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 1700s

What causes smog?

• The burning of particulates
• The formation of ozone
• Acid Rain
• the interaction of sunlight with pollutants produced by fossil fuels

What are renewable resources?

• Resources that are used faster than they form
• a.  Resources that can replenish themselves over time
• a.  Resources that exist only in urban areas
• Resources that exist only in rural areas

Which of the following is a renewable resource?

• coal
• solar energy
• natural gas
• oil

What is deforestation?

• throwing someone out of a window
• selectively cutting trees for lumber, making sure the forest remains healthy
• allowing more animals to graze on the land than it can support
• cutting and removal of rainforest

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What are some consequences of deforestation?

• increased population in cities
• building of more infrastructure
• soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, loss of ability to remove CO2
• more mercury and cyanide released into rivers