Font size
WorksheetsHuman Impact Unit Test
Total questions: 145
Worksheet time: 1hrs 12mins
How can the ozone layer be replenished?
By manufacturing more ozone
By not using ozone-depleting chemicals, and waiting for more ozone to be produced naturally
By limiting the amount of carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere
The ozone layer can never be replenished
What does it mean when a product or service is "EPA certified?"
It's insured by the U.S. government
The U.S. government recommends that you should buy it
The U.S. government has made sure it cannot harm you if you ingest it
The U.S. government has made sure it does not harm the environment
In which areas would people most likely be affected by the ozone hole?
Scandinavia and northern Canada
Australia and southern Africa
The equator and its surrounding area
The southern United States
Why wasn't ozone depletion a problem until the 20th century? Choose the best answer.
The atmosphere was much thicker before the 20th century
Humans didn't begin using ozone-depleting chemicals until modern times
Ozone was created naturally at a much faster rate before the 20th century
People didn't live in areas affected by ozone depletion until the 20th century
Which of these is an opinion about CFCs?
They are the most harmful chemicals ever invented
They were once used as propellants in aerosol cans
They did a lot of damage to the ozone layer
Many countries agreed to cut down on their use during the late 1980s
Like cigarette smoke, UV radiation is bad for you because it's carcinogenic. What does "carcinogenic" mean?
Chemical
Molecular
Cancer-causing
High-energy
Place the following events in sequence: A) The ozone hole is discovered; B) The Montreal Protocol is signed; C) 190 countries agree to stop CFC production
A - B - C
A - C - B
B - A - C
C - A - B
One ozone molecule contains three _____ of oxygen.
Molecules
Atoms
Electrons
Ounces
What can you infer from the fact that although CFCs have been banned, refrigerators and aerosol cans are still being sold?
Manufacturers of these products are breaking the law
People who use these products don't care about the environment
These products were all manufactured before the ban went into effect
Researchers found environmentally safe replacements for CFCs
If CFCs had not been banned, what might have happened?
The ozone hole would probably have continued expanding
All ozone molecules would have disappeared from the atmosphere
Humans would no longer be able to go outside
The earth would have become much hotter
What can you infer from the fact that minor changes in water temperature can kill entire species?
Many species are not well-suited to their natural habitats
Many species are extremely sensitive to changes in their environments
Many species have extremely weak immune systems.
Many species that live in water once lived on land.
Bodies of water often neutralize foreign substances. What does "neutralize" mean in this context?
The water cools down hot substances
The water turns foreign substances into food.
The water makes potentially dangerous substances harmless.
The water makes potentially dangerous substances even more dangerous.
What does the word "thermal" mean?
Related to temperature
Related to water
Related to marine life
Related to pollution
Place the following events in sequence: A) Runoff from farms enters a pond; B) Methane and hydrogen sulfide are released; C) Anaerobic bacteria begin to thrive
C - B - A
C - A - B
A - B - C
A - C - B
How are anaerobic bacteria different from fish?
Fish produce lots of young; anaerobic bacteria cannot reproduce.
Fish require oxygen to survive; anaerobic bacteria don't.
Certain species of fish thrive in polluted water; anaerobic bacteria cannot.
Fish thrive in very hot temperatures; anaerobic bacteria thrive in very cold temperatures.
What was one long-term effect of laws that banned factories from polluting American waterways?
Individuals and families ended up polluting more than factories
Water pollution disappeared almost entirely.
Factories started polluting Mexican and Canadian waters instead.
Anaerobic bacteria became endangered species.
Which pollutant is most commonly released into waterways by families and individuals?
Laundry Detergent
Hot water that's been used to cool heavy machinery
Pesticides and fertilizers
Chemicals like benzene and PCBs
Wastewater can be decontaminated before being released back into rivers and streams. What does "decontaminate" mean?
Heat up
Cleanse
Filter
Freeze
How would you compare dissolving and dispersing waste materials?
Dissolving them means flushing them with water; dispersing them means breaking them down.
Dissolving them means breaking them down; dispersing them means recycling them
Dissolving them means breaking them down; dispersing them means spreading them out.
Dispersing them means cleansing them; dissolving them means flushing them with water.
How can you best help prevent water pollution?
By being careful with household chemicals you dump down the sink or into storm drains
By refusing to use products made in large factories
By never taking a bath or shower for more than 10 minutes.
By drinking as little water as possible.
What do cars, power plants and furnaces have in common?
They all burn gasoline
They all burn coal
They all burn wood
They all burn fossil fuels
Which would probably be the most effective way to reduce the amount of methane released into the atmosphere?
Reducing the amount of gasoline we use
Making sure to prevent forest fires
Reducing the number of cows we raise for meat
Reducing the amount of electricity we use
Which of these situations is commonly caused by acid rain?
People being poisoned by drinking water
Fish and birds in freshwater habitats dying off
People receiving acid burns on their skin
Whales and dolphins dying off in the oceans
The ozone layer blocks deleterious UV radiation. What does "deleterious" mean?
Life - sustaining
Harmful
Environmentally friendly
Invisible
What can you infer from the fact that smog mainly affects cities?
a. People foolishly built cities in areas with heavy smog
Air pollution never affects rural areas
People in cities drive more often than people in rural areas
Air pollution is most serious in areas with many homes, factories, and offices
How can insulating your home prevent air pollution?
Insulation blocks out harmful gases and smog
Insulation reduces the amount of energy you need to burn to heat and cool your house
Insulation prevents your furnace from releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere
Insulation collects solar energy, a non-polluting form of energy
Which of the following is a true statement about ozone?
It's always helpful
It's always harmful
It's helpful when it's located in the upper atmosphere, but harmful when people breathe it
It's harmful when it's located in the upper atmosphere, but helpful when people breathe it
What is one difference between smog and acid rain?
Smog makes it difficult to breathe; acid rain wipes out natural habitats
Smog is caused by burning fossil fuels; acid rain is caused by cow burps
Scientists agree that smog is caused by humans, but disagree over the cause of acid rain
Smog only affects cities; acid rain only affects rural areas
Which of these is an opinion about air pollution?
It's the biggest threat that humans face
It can be caused by burning fossil fuels
Not all air pollution comes from man-made sources
Humans can take steps to decrease the amount of pollution they release into the air
What is most likely to happen if we don't reduce the amount of harmful gases we put into the atmosphere?
Respiratory diseases in humans will increase
The rate of global climate change might decelerate
Many new animal and plant species will evolve
Fossil fuels will rapidly become more abundant
When is it safe to build a campfire?
Only when it’s cold outside
Right after it rains
If there are no trees nearby
It depends on the fire danger level
Compared to hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes, wildfires:
Cause the most damage
Tend to last longer
Are easier to predict
Cannot be prevented
Combustion can occur when fuel is combined with:
Wood
Carbon
Oxygen
Water
Which of the following most resembles how a wildfire spreads?
A bowling ball rolling down a lane
Texting a group of friends
The flu sweeping through your school
Downloading a song
When and where is a wildfire most likely to happen?
Nevada, during a summer drought
The Midwest, in spring-time
Massachusetts, on a rainy autumn day
Australia, during a mild winter
In ecosystems that depend on wildfire, it acts most like a:
Power button
Reset button
Fast-forward button
Stop button
Wildfires are more likely during a drought due to increased:
Oxygen in the atmosphere
Lightning strikes
Wind speeds
Availability of fuel
In which of these areas is a wildfire most likely to start?
Firefighters take a multifaceted approach to containing wildfires. What can you infer is the meaning of "multifaceted"?
unusual
innovative
single-minded
varied
When something "spreads like wildfire," that means:
It's very destructive
It spreads quickly
It's extremely hot
It's unpredictable
A drought is best defined as:
The complete depletion of the water supply
When water supply can’t keep pace with water consumption
An extended period of abnormally warm temperatures
Consecutive seasons of historically low precipitation
What can you infer about factories from their impact on local water supplies?
They consume a large amount of water
They’re required to replace all the water they use
They need to pipe water in from far away
They produce water as a by-product
Which statement follows logically from the idea that droughts are cyclical?
Droughts happen every year
Droughts always occur in the summer
Droughts have become less severe
Droughts cannot be entirely prevented
Precipitation is to a drought as food is to _______.
A farm
Hunger
A kitchen
Taste
Cities that depend on snowmelt are usually located near a(n):
Ocean
Canyon
Mountain
Dam
How are droughts different from most other types of natural disasters?
They involve water
They are not deadly
Their impact is more long-term
They are unrelated to global warming
Who is most likely to be directly affected by a drought?
Farmer
Grocery owner
Baker
Factory worker
Which place is least equipped to handle a water shortage?
A rural town in France
A village in Kenya
A suburb in the United States
A major city in China
Which of the following is an opinion about water conservation?
It can lessen the impact of a drought
It’s the only strategy for stopping a drought
It’s not as important as reducing carbon emissions
It has positive benefits beyond drought prevention
Place the following steps in logical order: A) El Nino shifts the jet stream south; B) Dry weather in the Northwest; C) Carbon emissions raise world temperatures.
A - B - C
B - C - A
B - A - C
C - A - B
How is natural gas different from coal?
Natural gas is a renewable resource; coal is a fossil fuel
Natural gas is a form of petroleum; coal is extracted from coal deposits
Coal is a form of petroleum; natural gas is emitted by volcanoes
Coal is a fossil fuel; natural gas is a renewable resource
Why are the remains of ancient organisms buried so deeply within the earth? Choose the best answer.
They were swallowed up by major earthquakes
Most ancient organisms lived underground
They were buried by the meteor strike that killed the dinosaurs
They were buried by natural processes
What force is important in the creation of both coal and petroleum?
Putrefaction
Petrification
Pressure
Oxidation
How long does it take decaying organisms to transform into fossil fuels?
Decades
Millions of Years
Thousands of Years
Hundreds of Years
How are fossil fuels taken from the earth?
Skimmed off the surface of the ocean
Through underground combustion
Through deep wells and mines
Brought to the surface using water
Which of the following is most likely to use coal as fuel?
Car
Stove
Airplane
Factory
Which of these is an advantage of fossil fuels? Select ALL that apply.
They do not require much processing
You can extract them without complicated machinery
They are an efficient energy source
There is an unlimited supply of them
Why is burning fossil fuels bad for the environment?
It destroys the ozone layer
It adds harmful mercury to waterways
The clouds it creates bring excess rain and flooding
The gases emitted lead to global climate change
All of the choices are correct.
The gases produced by burning fossil fuels usually contain which element?
Carbon
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
How much of the world's energy comes from nonrenewable resources?
Less than half
More than half
All
None
Which of the following is considered a hazard of mining? Select all that apply.
Chemical leaks and spills
Heavy machinery accidents
Electrocution
All of the choices are correct
Mineshafts are dangerous because
They have a risk of caving in if not properly secured
They are dark and cause loss of eyesight
They are narrow so sometimes miners get stuck
They are very long so people with claustrophobia cannot go inside
All of the following would be synonyms for extracting EXCEPT
Remove
Withdraw
Insert
Release
An advantage to using Natural Gas is
Highly abundant resource used for heating in most homes
Easily transported using tankers and ships
Easily transported to power stations
Used in most residential and commercial business
A disadvantage of using oil would be
Oil is relatively cheap
It can be used in transportation around the globe
Spills can cause environmental disasters
Oil can be easily transported using tankers and ships
Which of the following is NOT true about coal?
It is easily transported to power stations
It is used in most residential and commercial business
It is dangerous to mine and creates pollutants when burned
It creates radioactive waste that can be very dangerous to the environment if mishandled
Which is an advantage of coal energy?
It's a free resource that can be replenished quickly.
It creates greenhouse gases when burned.
It will eventually run out
It is cheap and currently plentiful
What is the best description of a nonrenewable resource?
A resource that can be used many times
A resource that is very expensive to mine compared to renewable resources
Solar, wind, and geothermal are all examples
A resource that cannot be replaced naturally and reused again in our lifetime
Fossil Fuels are
pieces of rock that have been compacted many times
rock that contains 50% plant and animal remains
metamorphic rock
fuels that form from the remains of plant and other organisms that were buried and altered over million of years
This fossil fuel has been created by the remains of plants and must be mined from deep within the Earth.
oil
coal
natural gas
solar
This Fossil Fuel is highly flammable (catches on fire easily) and a leak could cause a violent explosion or fire.
petroleum
wood
coal
natural gas
Fossil Fuels (choose ALL that apply)
considered nonrenewable resources
cause pollution in the atmosphere
are renewable resources
oil, coal and natural gas
The ADVANTAGES of Fossil Fuels include: (Choose ALL that apply)
low cost
produce a lot of energy
cause air pollution
high cost
This is how oil is extracted (pulled) from underground.
mining
shoveling
scraping
drilling
The flame on your stove is an example of
coal
petroleum
natural gas
oil
Fossil fuels were formed from ____.
the remains of once living organisms.
the earth.
solids, liquids, and gases, made millions of years ago.
sun and water.
Why are fossils fuels so widely used?
They are renewable so they won't run out.
They pollution they produce is less compared to renewable energy sources.
They are easy to obtain and process.
They don't disrupt the environment when mined from the earth.
What happens to fossil fuels to create electricity?
They are stored
They are burned
They are melted
They are frozen
Which one of these is not a fossil fuel?
coal
oil
natural gas
nuclear energy
Which 2 things can using nuclear waste cause?
creating radioactive waste
global warming
acid rain
nuclear meltdowns
Hunter-gatherer societies were nomadic. What does this mean?
They had a lot of members
They moved around a lot.
They grew their own crops.
They ate only meat.
Which of the following modern countries is located within the Fertile Crescent?
Iraq
Japan
Peru
Australia
How did the earliest villagers compare to their hunter-gatherer counterparts?
The villagers did much less work.
The villagers led much longer lives
The villagers were smaller and less healthy.
The villagers were bigger and stronger.
Which of the following is an example of a domesticated animal?
Bear
Deer
Sheep
Squirrel
Settling down into small villages had which of the following effects on a population?
Greater exposure to disease.
Access to a more varied diet
A shrinking population.
A reduction in the amount of daily work people had to do.
How did early villagers develop food surpluses?
By domesticating more animal species than they really needed
By growing and storing extra crops.
By domesticating a wide variety of plant species.
By raiding nearby villages for extra food.
Which of the following occupations came into existence due to specialization in early village societies?
Hunter
Farmer
Blacksmith
Animal herder
Which of the following people might be at the top of the hierarchy of an early village society?
A farmer
A scribe
A blacksmith
A priest
Which term best describes life as it existed in the earliest villages?
Relaxing
Demanding
Impossible
Sophisticated
Which of the following is an opinion about the Agricultural Revolution?
It was the most important event in world history.
It led to a major growth in population.
It involved the domestication of several species of plants and animals
It occurred between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago
Which of the following events took place during the Industrial Revolution?
The birth of the Roman Empire
The career of William Shakespeare
World War II
The American Revolution
Which of the following was developed during the first Industrial Revolution?
The powered loom made textile production easier. What is the best synonym for "textile?"
Steel
Coal
Cloth
Cotton
What effect did coal have on the Industrial Revolution?
It was used to power new machines
It was converted into steel in huge furnaces
It replaced petroleum as the most popular fuel in the world
It was invented by British engineers during the Industrial Revolution
How was the first Industrial Revolution different from the second?
The first led to the development of new inventions; the second did not
The first was centered in Britain; the second was centered in America
The first involved advances in transportation and communication; the second did not
The first took place during the 1600s, the second took place during the 1700s
Which of the following was developed during the second Industrial Revolution?
The powered loom
The personal computer
The steamship
The steam engine
If you worked on an assembly line, what might a typical day be like for you?
You'd perform the same task over and over.
You'd work deep underground, mining coal.
You'd spend your day building different parts of automobiles
You'd spend your day in the fields, picking cotton
The popularity of the automobile was caused by:
The invention of the lightbulb
The development of the steam engine
The harnessing of electricity
The digging of oil wells
Which of the following was a drawback of the Industrial Revolution?
The birth of the middle class
The development of new consumer goods
The use of child labor
The development of the transcontinental railroad
Which of the following was a major effect of the Industrial Revolution?
Poverty was completely eliminated
Societies moved from agriculture to industry.
The number of wars between countries decreased dramatically.
Unemployment increased dramatically.
Which statistic is most closely related to climate?
Average yearly snowfall in Denver is 55 inches
Last February was unusually warm in the Northeast
There is an ongoing drought in central Georgia
Wind speeds in Chicago topped 30 mph today.
Which saying best describes the greenhouse effect's impact on our planet?
You can't get enough of a good thing.
A rising tide lifts all boats.
Everything in moderation.
None of the above.
If Earth is like a greenhouse, carbon gases in the atmosphere are like the:
Plants
Glass
Sun
Ground
How will next year's average global temperature compare to this year's average?
It will be much higher.
It will be somewhat lower.
It will be exactly the same.
It's impossible to predict.
Which of the following individual actions would do the most to reduce atmospheric methane?
Going vegan
Planting a tree
Riding the bus instead of driving a car
Switching to rechargeable batteries
Compared to historical trends, what is different about contemporary climate change?
It's occurring faster.
It's a warming trend.
It's affecting plants and animals.
It's caused by atmospheric changes.
We can learn about the climate of different periods throughout history by studying what aspect of the bubbles trapped in ice core samples?
The temperature of the air inside the bubbles.
The average volume of the bubbles.
The levels of different gases in the bubbles.
The average pressure of the air inside the bubbles.
As polar ice caps melt, which area would face the most significant immediate threat?
"Global climate change" is preferred to "global warming" because temperature change may not be its most conspicuous effect. What can you infer is the meaning of "conspicuous"?
Harmful
Hidden
Misleading
Noticeable
Which of these is an opinion about climate change?
It is the most serious danger that humans face today.
Many people believe it may cause species to go extinct.
Burning fossil fuels has contributed to global warming.
Earth's temperature has increased over the past century.
Which of the following is an example of a nonrenewable resource?
Which of these is an opinion about deforestation?
It can cause animals to lose their habitats
It's a serious crisis that our government should try to stop
It happens because people use wood to make paper and lumber
Deforestation destroys important sources of oxygen
What can you conclude from the fact that the human population is so much larger today than it was 200 years ago?
Most people chose not have children 200 years ago
People 200 years ago killed one another frequently
People 200 years ago had better medicine than we do today
People today live longer, healthier lives than 200 years ago
The human population has experienced unchecked growth for the past 200 years. What does "unchecked" mean?
slow
at a steady rate
unrestrained
dangerous
Which of the following is a true statement about recycling?
Recycling allows resources to be reused, instead of dumped in landfills.
Recycled products emit oxygen into the atmosphere.
Recycling causes the earth to cool down, instead of warm up.
Recycling turns non-renewable resources into renewable ones
Place the following events in sequence: A) The world population reaches 7 billion; B) The Industrial Revolution begins; C) People begin packaging things in plastic
C - B - A
A - C - B
B - A - C
B - C - A
What is one negative effect of landfills?
global warming
water pollution
air pollution
deforestation
What do carbon dioxide and methane have in common?
They are gases created when wood is burned
They are gases that regularly escape from landfills
They are gases that contribute to global warming
They are examples of non-renewable resources
Which of the following can decrease the use of fossil fuels?
Turning your lights off when you're not using them.
Recycling newspapers
Cleaning up the garbage in your neighborhood.
Turning up your thermostat whenever you feel chilly.
What is one way that you can use your voice to make environmental changes? Choose the best answer.
Ask your parents or guardians to use clean energy.
Buy stuff with protective plastic packaging.
Encourage your parents or guardians to drive cars to work, instead of taking buses or trains.
Stop using all paper products.
Humans have caused change to global and local environments. Which of the following was NOT a way in which humans effected the environment?
agriculture
urban development
biodiversity
industry
hunting and gathering
The major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is:
ozone
carbon dioxide
oxygen
nitrogen
The burning of fossil fuels contributes to all of the following ecological problems except for:
air pollution
ozone depletion
global warming
acid rain
Early hunters and gatherers are likely the cause of:
the extinction of many animals
cultivating new species of plants
inventing technologies to improve agriculture
significantly contributing to air pollution
A species whose population is declining in numbers so rapidly that it might disappear altogether is said to be:
endangered
extinct
invasive
decimated
The ozone layer shields the inhabitants of Planet Earth from:
the greenhouse effect
global warming
ultraviolet radiation from the sun
acid rain
Photosynthetic organisms help to prevent global warming by:
producing ozone
absorbing acid rain
releasing oxygen into the atmosphere
storing carbon
Loss of biodiversity can be primarily attributed to which of the following?
smog and acid rain
habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development
release of CFC's into the atmosphere
too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
DDT was once thought to be the perfect pesticide because:
it is cheap to manufacture
it remains active for long periods of time
it kills many types of insects
all of the answer choices are correct
What is the major cause of the mass extinctions of species occurring today?
volcanic eruptions
human activities
global warming due to an increased greenhouse effect
depletion of the ozone layer
An ozone hole over a polar region refers to an area:
where there is a reduction in the ozone concetration
where there is no ozone
where there is too much ozone
where there is an increased greenhouse effect
Certain gases trap the sun’s energy and results in an increase in atmospheric temperatures. This is known as:
ozone depletion
acid rain
smog and air pollution
greenhouse effect
Which one of the following is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
the burning of fossil fuels
chemicals released during manufacturing
the release of carbon dioxide from cellular respiration
deforestation
Acid rain forms when molecules of _______ are released into the atmosphere.
carbon dioxide
CFC's
nitrates and sulfates
methane
Which of the following is true about an old-growth forest?
it is a nonrenewable resource
it is a renewable resource
it provides poor habitats for plants and animals
once cut, they grow back quickly
The greatest source of air pollution is:
volcanic eruptions
forest fires
release of CFC's into the air
the burning of fossil fuels
Most of the energy used by humans on a daily basis comes from:
geothermal energy sources
nuclear energy sources
the burning of fossil fuels
wind energy
Desertification is caused by all of the following except:
farming
overgrazing
drought
invasive species
Which one of the following leads to the destruction of the ozone layer?
release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels
the release of CFC's found in refrigerants and aerosols
the production of acid rain
deforestation and habitat loss
As DDT moves up the trophic levels in a food chain or food web, its concentration:
remains the same
increases
decreases
Farmers can reduce erosion by:
plowing up the roots of previous crops
allowing animals to graze on the land
the use of contour plowing
growing different crops each year
All of the following are renewable resources except for:
fossil fuels
soil
water
forests
The conversion of a fertile and soil-rich area into a soil-poor desert is called
desertification
deforestation
extinction
pollution
