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WorksheetsEnvironmental Science S2 Final Exam Review 2022
Total questions: 155
Worksheet time: 3hrs 27mins
What type of pollution is depicted in the image.
Primary
Point Source
Nonpoint Source
Secondary
Waterborne pathogens often come from
untreated human and animal waste
acid mine drainage
excess nitrogen and phosphorous
storm drains
Due to biomagnification
Animals accumulate toxins in their fatty tissues over the course of their lives
Concentrations of toxins increase exponentially as you go up the food chain
Producers often have the highest levels of toxins
Concentrations of chemicals in the water are increased as animals excrete waste
Which of the following is most effectively removed by a water treatment plant?
Pharmaceuticals
Industrial Waste
Pesticides
Biological material
Acid rain is formed when _____________ & __________ interact in the atmosphere
carbon monoxide; sulfur dioxide
ozone; nitrous oxides
sulfur dioxide; nitrous oxides
carbon dioxide; nitrous oxides
Lethal Dose
MCL
ED50
What is the definition of risk?
The real possibility of suffering harm or loss
The probability that 50% of the test subjects will suffer sublethal effects
The perceived possibility of danger
The probability that 50% of the test subjects will suffer lethal effects
60 mg
The process of using statistical methods to estimate how much harm a particular hazard can cause to human health or to the environment.
Risk management
Risk development
Risk assessment
Risk prevention
Revolves around the idea of when there is substantial preliminary evidence that an activity, technology, or chemical can harm humans, other organisms, or the environment, we should take more precautionary measures to prevent or reduce such harm, rather than waiting on more conclusive scientific evidence.
Hazards principle
Toxicity principle
Hypothesis principle
Precautionary principle
Which of the following is the most lethal to humans in the smallest amount?
Aspirin
Bleach
Lorchel mushroom
Arsenic
Which of the following is true of point source pollution?
Type of contaminant and location are usually unknown
Individual contributions may be small, but cumulative effects may be significant
Results from the chemical reactions of other pollutants in water
Covered by the Clean Water Act for surface water
Which of the following is the safest type of fish to eat from this section of the Menominee River? (between the Menominee Dam and Green Bay)
Carp
Black Crappie over 9"
Sunfish
Northern Pike
Which of the following is generally true about fish in the Menominee River?
Smaller fish are safer to eat than larger fish
Bluegill contain high concentrations of PCBs
Northern Pike are among the safest fish to eat
All fish contain dangerously high levels of mercury, and should not be eaten.
"good" bacteria
Tertiary Consumers
Presence of fecal coliform bacteria suggests that
a factory polluted the river
a nearby treatment plant added chlorine to the waste water
the water is safe for drinking
untreated animal waste contaminated the water
Which of the following is a point-source pollutant?
Sediment loading from erosion
Runoff of pesticides from croplands
Animal wastes from feedlots
Fertilizer runoff from urban areas
A sewage treatment plant effluent pipe
What is the danger in eating large fish like tuna and shark?
Since they are high on the food chain they may contain high levels toxins due to bioaccumulation
Since they are low on the food chain they may contain high levels toxins due to biomagnification
Since they are high on the food chain they may contain high levels toxins due to biomagnification
Since they are low on the food chain they may contain high levels toxins due to bioaccumulation
Primary wastewater treatment
prevents toxic chemicals from reaching secondary treatment.
removes physical objects/materials.
involves chemicals like chlorine.
removes most bacteria.
What is a Septic Tank?
A place where wastewater flows through screens to catch large particles.
An underground tank that contains bacteria that treats wastewater.
A place in which the wastewater is filtered through a bed of gravel that is covered with colonies of bacteria.
A tank in a wastewater treatment facility that uses chemicals to kill bacteria.
Oil Spill Prevention and Liability Act
Superfund Act
The measure of safe drinking water established by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Phosphate and Nitrate Levels
Turbidity
What is the LD100 of this chemical?
5 mg
20 mg
50 mg
32 mg
What is the safe human dose of this chemical?
.02 mg
20 mg
5 mg
0 mg
How did city officials change the water supply for the city of Flint in the spring of 2014?
Switched FROM Detroit Water supply (Lake Huron) to the Flint River
Switched FROM the Flint River to the Detroit Water supply (Lake Huron)
Switched FROM the Detroit River to the Flint River
Switched FROM the Flint River to the Detroit River
When the residents of Flint began complaining about the water, what was the initial response of those in charge?
Created a committee to look into the problem
Switched back to the Detroit water
Urged residents to use bottled water
Insisted the water was fine and safe
Why was lead leaching into the water in Flint?
The city replaced PVC pipes with lead in order to save money
Corrosive contaminants in the river water wore away the protective layer inside the lead lead pipes
The city accidentally added the wrong chemicals to the drinking water
Lead-rich chemical waste dumped underground migrated into the water supply
Which of the following is true of Love Canal and NOT Hinkley, CA?
The pollutant contaminated the groundwater
Contaminated homes were purchased and families relocated
EPA hostages were taken in an act of defiance
The population was poor
Refers to the way in which neighborhoods, populated by people of color and of low income, are burdened with a disproportionate number of hazards, including toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, pollution and foul odors that lower the quality of life.
Environmental Racism
Urban blight
Gentrification
Targeted Pollution
Very slight increases in the acidity of seawater stresses organisms that
prefer a low pH
make shells and exoskeletons out of calcium carbonate
migrate over long distances
live in the aphotic zone where light cannot reach
Which of the following is NOT true concerning persistent chemicals?
Break down quickly and easily
Can be bioaccumulated
Don't need to be reapplied often
Are at high risk of being biomagnified
In which of the following case studies were the chemicals cleaned up?
Hinkley, CA
Love Canal
Camp Lejeune
None of them
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an area easily polluted without repercussions?
Affluent
Poor
Mostly Minorities
Military Base
A mineral that are formed in thin jagged crystalline fibers
Lead
Mercury
VOCs
is produced by combustion
Which of the following indoor air pollutants results in dizziness, headaches, and loss of oxygen to the brain?
Carbon monoxide
Asbestos
Radon-222
Particulate matter
Which indoor air pollutant is produced by the decay of uranium in bedrock & is a leading cause of lung cancer?
Formaldehyde
Radon
Carbon monoxide
Sulfur dioxide
Which of the following is TRUE about particulate matter? You may select more than one.
PM 2.5 is the most harmful
PM 10 is so small it can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream
PM can be produced by coal & oil combustion & construction sites.
PM is a primary pollutant involved in the formation of photochemical smog.
Volatile organic compounds
are tiny particles of liquid or solid matter
are produced by chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen
are an odorless, colorless poisonous gas
are organic chemicals that form toxic fumes
Which device helps reduce vehicle emissions?
electrostatic precipitator
catalytic converter
scrubber
baghouse filter
Long term effects of air pollution
headache, eye irritation, coughing, bronchitis
emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease
headaches, high blood pressure, loss of smell
Nausea, dizziness, sore throat
Short term effects of air pollution
headache, eye irritation, coughing, bronchitis
emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease
causes stress, high blood pressure, heart attacks
lung cancer, heart disease, nausea
Which indoor air pollutant would be produced from burning wood?
asbestos
formaldehyde
VOCs
PM
Which indoor air pollutant was used in insulation and fire resistant building materials?
asbestos
formaldehyde
carbon monoxide
radon
What is the difference between primary and secondary pollutants? Choose all correct answers.
Secondary pollutants form when primary pollutants react with each other or naturally occurring elements.
Primary pollutants are put directly into the air by humans.
Primary pollutants include things like ground level ozone from vehicle emissions and UV rays.
Secondary pollutants include things like carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and VOCs.
Chemical reactions involving sunlight, air, car exhaust, and ozone cause which of the following to form?
primary pollutants
CFCs
smog
acid rain
Radon is usually found in this location in your home.
attic
basement
bathroom
kitchen
Where is the "GOOD" ozone located?
troposphere
stratosphere
mesosphere
thermosphere
A metallic element that can cause brain damage.
Zinc
Barium
Iron
What pollution control device removes particulate matter (PM) from industry smokestacks?
Catalytic Converters
Electrostatic Precipitators
Scrubbers
I. can originate from the emission of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
II. is catalyzed through a free chlorine (Cl) atom.
III. prevents UV rays from reaching the earth’s surface.
Ozone holes appear in polar regions during springtime when ozone-destroying
chlorine atoms are released from polar stratospheric clouds
chlorine atoms are captured by polar stratospheric clouds
CFCs are synthesized in polar stratospheric clouds
CFCs magnify ultraviolet light
The location where the most ozone depletion occurs.
Antarctica
The Arctic
The Equator
Greenland
Which of the following DOES NOT cause cancer?
Radon
Asbestos
Carbon Monoxide
Tobacco Smoke
Earth's atmosphere is mostly
Oxygen
Carbon Dioxide
Nitrogen
Carbon Monoxide
This PM control method is effective but requires a large amount of energy.
Baghouse Filter
Scrubber
Electrostatic Precipitator
Catalytic Converter
Which one requires major renovations that are expensive and must be carried out by professionals in full protective equipment?
Radon
Asbestos
VOCs
Formaldehyde
Ground-level ozone can become photochemical smog if this is present.
CO2
SOx
NOx
VOCs
Which of the following is NOT a downside of scrubbers?
They use a considerable amount of water.
They move pollution from the air to water but don't get rid of it.
They only reduce PM pollution but nothing else.
They are expensive.
Which describes the trend in the ozone layer?
Decreasing until the 80's then leveling off then actually increasing
Decreasing since the mid 70's
Decreasing since the start of the industrial revolution then stopping after the Clean Air Act
Decreasing but predicted to level off and repair itself in the next century after CFCs are gone.
Which is NOT true of polar stratospheric clouds?
They form inside the polar vortex
CFCs are converted into chlorine gas there
Ozone is destroyed during the dark winter months there
They form over the north and south poles
What is leachate?
Water that collects contaminants as it drains through a landfill.
Type of organism that helps to break down compost in a landfill.
The bottom layer of covering in a landfill.
The system to capture methane before it vents into the atmosphere.
Which is NOT an important component of composting?
moisture
oxygen
phosphorous
carbon
What is the term for a place where trash is simply piled up?
open dump
sanitary landfill
municipal solid waste
leachate
How can incinerators help the waste problem?
Incinerators reduce air pollution
Incinerators remove toxins from wastes
Incinerators recycle biodegradable wastes
Incinerators decrease the volume of trash
Which part of a sanitary landfill is designed to prevent contamination of groundwater?
Methane recovery system
Leachate
Alternating layers of soil and waste
Plastic or clay liner
What would be the consequences if leachate was to leak out of a landfill?
Surface water could become contaminated
Groundwater could become contaminated
Soil could become contaminated
All of these are correct
Which greenhouse gas is produced by the microbes in landfills?
oxygen
carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
methane
Which soil is best to have under a landfill?
sand
silt
clay
loam
The following is an example of reducing:
bringing newspapers to a recycling center.
using plastic bags as small garbage bags.
designing packaging that uses less material.
all of these are good examples of reducing.
The material that makes up the highest proportion of MSW is
plastic
rubber, leather and textiles
paper products
food
"Not in my backyard!" describes
the fact that materials cannot be easily incinerated
the costs associated with the use of incineration
an attitude about placement of landfills and incinerators
attempts to develop better landfills
A cap on a landfill...
reduces leachate
attracts pests
increases methane production
must be permeable to water
Which of the following would be ideal in deciding on a site for a new landfill?
very far away from the city
sandy soil
close to water
an intermediate distance from the city
Incineration is often favored in regions where
the soil is rich in clay.
land is expensive.
there is less public land.
wilderness areas have been established.
During open loop recycling, plastic bottles would likely become
metal cans
carpet fibers
Tupperware containers
more plastic bottles
As _____ increases, the amount of waste per capita also increases.
wealth
education
distance from the city
population size
_____ and _____ are about keeping materials in the waste stream for as long as possible.
reusing and reducing
reducing and recycling
reusing and recycling
minimizing and recycling
Which of the following is NOT a benefit of composting?
Reducing landfill methane emissions
Reducing landfill leachate
Extending the longevity of a landfill
Much less expensive than traditional waste collection
The largest source of municipal solid waste is/are
food and yard waste
containers and packaging
durable goods
nondurable goods
As countries like China and India become more developed, we'd expect their per capita waste generation to
increase
decrease
stay the same
fluctuate with global markets
T/F: The majority of recyclable materials are recycled.
True
False
T/F: Recycling metal uses less energy than mining for new metal.
True
False
T/F: As long as a landfill has a liner it is safe to dispose of hazardous waste there.
True
False
T/F: Landfills and incinerators are often located near poor neighborhoods.
True
False
Which of the following is TRUE of tipping fees? Check all that apply.
They help pay for waste disposal costs.
They are more expensive in rural areas.
They can help prevent illegal dumping.
They encourage the three R's
What is a advantage of oil energy?
Cleaner burning than natural gas
Renewable
High energy density
Low emissions
Wind energy
is less expensive than fossil fuels
has not been found to harm wildlife
is non-renewable
is ultimately powered by the sun
Hydropower...
is second only to biomass in terms of green energy production
can be built in any location were there is water
has low construction costs
has been growing exponentially over the past decade
Which is an advantage of using photovoltaics?
No loss of energy through transmission because it is produced and used in the same location.
They can work on cloudy days with the same efficiency as solar panels.
They are able to use moonlight to produce electricity so they even work at night.
They are the most inexpensive type of renewable energy.
Which example is a potentially renewable resource, but not at the rate that we use it?
biomass
Wind
Solar
Uranium (Nuclear)
What is one disadvantage of coal?
Coal produces large quantities of air pollution like CO2.
There isn't a lot of coal left which makes it expensive.
It has a low energy density.
We must rely on foreign countries for our coal supply.
What is one disadvantage of renewable energy?
Electricity and power could become much cheaper.
Third world countries could have affordable energy.
Many people could become energy independent.
Most sources are expensive to get started.
What is one disadvantage of using hydropower?
Hydropower is a renewable energy resource. There are no disadvantages.
The power is used as electricity to power large buildings instead of homes.
Building dams can damage natural wildlife and water systems like lakes and rivers.
Most of the time there isn't enough water power to create electricity.
What can you infer about fossil fuels from their name?
They emit harmful gases when burned.
They've been buried in the earth's crust for millions of years.
They're the most abundant energy source on the planet.
They're used to make gasoline.
Which of these is an example of biomass energy?
A coal-burning generator
A wood-burning stove
A gasoline-burning automobile
An automobile that operates on fuel cells
How is natural gas different from coal?
Natural gas is a nondepletable resource; coal is a fossil fuel.
Natural gas is cleaner burning than coal.
Coal is a form of petroleum; natural gas is emitted by volcanoes.
Coal is a fossil fuel; natural gas is a potentially renewable resource
Which of these is an advantage of fossil fuels?
You can extract them without complicated machinery.
They are relatively inexpensive to produce.
Burning them does not have any negative side effects.
There is an unlimited supply of them.
What type of alcohol is a common biofuel?
methanol
isopropyl
octane
ethanol
What process is used to make ethanol?
Desalination
Extraction
Distillation
Reverse Osmosis
Most ethanol in the U.S. is made from
Corn
Soy
Jatropha
Palm
What is one problem with run-of-the-river hydroelectricity?
Displacement of people
Greenhouse gas emissions
Breeding ground for disease
Low power output
What is the main source of tidal energy?
The gravitational pull of the moon
Wind
Temperature
Air pressure
Which of the following are nondepletable resources?
Nuclear
Biofuels
Natural Gas
Geothermal
Approximately what percent of energy in the U.S. comes from renewable sources?
50%
25%
Less than 10%
Less than 1%
Which of the following sources of energy ultimately comes from the sun?
Wind
Nuclear
Geothermal
Tidal
Biomass is __________________, meaning it only releases the carbon that it has already absorbed from the atmosphere.
carbon-free
carbon neutral
carbon combustion
carbon sequestering
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good biofuel?
Low cost
Doesn't require pesticides or fertilizer
Is a crop that can also be used for food if needed
Contains oily seeds, fruit, or residues
Which of the following is NOT a potential source of biodiesel?
Corn oil
Petroleum
Algae
Palm oil
What did this man invent?
Biodiesel
Ford Model T
Ethanol
Diesel engine
Which is not a risk to subsurface miners?
Mine collapse
Disease from inhaling coal dust
Landslides of loose soil
Methane explosions
Which type of mining is associated with disturbing more land?
Surface mining
Subsurface mining
Ocean mining
Stream & river mining
In the Northern Hemisphere, which side of the house would you want your windows on in a passive solar heating system?
North
East
South
West
These are...
part of a "power tower" system
parabolic photovoltaic cells
concentrating solar thermal collectors
satellite dishes
What is this?
a CST solar system
a photovoltaic system
a passive solar system
a system for heating water
______________ are promising because they don't use land and wind is plentiful and reliable there.
Onshore wind farms
Offshore wind farms
Indoor wind farms
Underwater wind farms
Which of the following is a drawback of wind but not solar?
Not consistent
Expensive
Noise pollution
Energy storage is limited/expensive
produces harmful pollution
inefficient
can only be used in lightweight vehicles
What is produced by a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell?
Water and Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide
Water
Carbon Monoxide
Tidal
Run of the river
Hydraulic
Impoundment
What is the key drawback of Geothermal energy today?
Limited locations
Nonrenewable
Mining it is destructive
Produces energy too slowly
Which of the following is NOT true about fracking?
It is used to access natural gas deposits
It uses water, sand and chemicals to break up shale formations
It is regulated by the Clean Water Act, which limits contamination
The U.S. is rich in natural gas fracking opportunities
What has been found to leak into local water supply as a result of fracking?
Ethane
Toxic Chemicals
Nitrogen Oxide
Propane
The world’s top consumer of crude oil is_____
United States
China
Saudi Arabia
Canada
At a refinery, crude oil is _____.
pumped up from underground deposits
burned to help produce electricity
boiled to separate out various components
distributed for use as gasoline
purified to remove pollutants
Which pollutant associated with coal use is known to contribute to acid rain?
coal ash
carbon dioxide
methane
sulfur dioxide
______ has a high EROEI but ______ has a low EROEI.
coal, tar sand oil
natural gas, geothermal
wind, solar
ethanol, oil
Which action would most likely reduce concerns about how strip mining can harm the environment?
Restrict mining operations to rural areas
Reclaim the ecosystem after mining
Increase the usage of the products being mined
Decrease the amount of labor needed in the mines
What is a disadvantage associated with many renewable or alternative energy sources?
cost
pollution
waste
radiation
Which of the following energy types is not a fossil fuel?
Methane
Magma
Petroleum
Bitumen
