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AP Environmental Science Exam Fall 2023

Total questions: 65

Worksheet time: 2hrs 38mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
The pattern of air during thermal inversion is
a)
warm- cold- warm
b)
cold- warm- cold
c)
there is no pattern, it is only cold
2.

Which describes the situation that any resource open to everyone will eventually be overused and depleted because everyone can use the resource but no one is responsible for it?

a)

“Tragedy of the Commons”

b)

Sustainability

c)

Industrial Revolution

d)

Agricultural Revolution

3.

The "Tragedy of the commons" describes the problem between

a)

Short-term interests of individuals & long term interests of the Earth

b)

Farmers & industrialized society

c)

Poor people & rich people

d)

People & animals

4.

Which of the following is a global Common (Check all that apply)

a)

Food

b)

Hair

c)

Rocks

d)

Water

e)

Paint

5.

Which of the following are Abiotic factors?

a)

plants

b)

weather

c)

predators

d)

sunlight

e)

temperature

6.

The study of environmental science primarily considers

a)

interactions among human systems and those found in Earth

b)

the effect of human systems

c)

abiotic factors that influence the state of our environment

d)

factors that affect global climate change

7.

An ecosystem is a location on Earth that includes

a)

only biotic components

b)

only abiotic components

c)

interacting biotic and abiotic components

d)

positive and negative feedback loops

8.

Which of the following is a qualitative observation?

a)

15 inches

b)

a liquid

c)

a green solution

d)

6 feet 1 inches

9.

Place the ecology levels of organization in proper order (smallest to largest)

a)

organism > population > community > ecosystem > biosphere

b)

community > organism > ecosystem > biosphere > population

c)

organism > community > biosphere > population > ecosystem

d)

population > biosphere > ecosystem > community > organism

10.

A tapeworm lives in the small intestines where it feeds and grows, robbing the human of essential nutrients. This is a _____ type of relationship.

a)

Commensalism

b)

Parasitism

c)

Symbiotic

d)

Mutualism

11.

The cattle egret follows herds of cattle and eat the insects that the cattle stir up as they move through the grassland. The cattle appear to be unaffected by the egrets. This is a _____ type of relationship.

a)

Commensalism

b)

Parasitism

c)

Symbiotic

d)

Mutualism

12.

Which is a biotic factor?

a)

producers

b)

pH

c)

energy

d)

humidity

13.

What law best relates to energy loss within an ecosystem?

a)

First law of thermodynamics

b)

Second law of thermodynamics

c)

Third law of thermodynamics

d)

Law of conservation of matter

14.

Which best describes the concept of net primary production?

a)

total amount of energy available from the Sun

b)

total amount of cellular respiration conducted within an ecosystem

c)

energy captured minus energy lost

d)

total amount of energy available from the producer

15.

In which biome would you expect to find an area with an average temperature of 10oC and 200 cm of precipitation annually?

a)

Temperate seasonal forest

b)

Temperate rainforest

c)

Woodland/shrubland

d)

Tropical seasonal forest

16.

Which biome is characterized by the presence of permafrost?

a)

temperate seasonal forest

b)

woodland/shrubland

c)

tundra

d)

boreal forest

17.

Terrestrial biomes are defined by ____ and ____ variables.

a)

temperature; precipitation

b)

temperature; animals

c)

precipitation; plants

d)

animals; plants

18.

What is a herbivore?

a)

receives energy from the sun

b)

only eats meat

c)

only eats plants

d)

eats both plants and meat

19.

All of the following is true about a niche generalist EXCEPT

a)

thrives in multiple environments

b)

feeds on specific food only

c)

lives in various habitats

d)

feeds on various food

20.

What is an omnivore?

a)

receives energy from the sun

b)

only eats meat

c)

only eats plants

d)

eats both plants and meat

21.

Which of the following is not an example of an invasive species?

a)

Kudzu vine

b)

Carp

c)

Elephants

d)

Fire ants

22.

Which of these is an aquatic indicator species?

a)

Shrimp

b)

Coral

c)

Plankton

d)

Sea Anemone

23.

Which of these human actions impacts multiple nutrient cycles?

a)

Deforestation

b)

Driving gasoline cars

c)

Burning sulfur- containing coal

d)

Making fertilizers

24.

Which of the following is an example of a keystone species?

a)

Beavers

b)

Elephants

c)

Kudzu vine

d)

Sea otters

25.

Which of the following statements is true?

a)

Biodiversity decreases with increased sunlight

b)

Biodiversity decreases as you move away from the equator

c)

Biodiversity decreases as you decrease in altitude

d)

Biodiversity increases as you go further down in the oceans

26.

The continent with the most amount of biodiversity in the world is

a)

Asia

b)

North America

c)

South America

d)

Europe

27.

Match the organisms with their role in the ecosystem

a)

Kudzu vine- invasive, beaver- keystone, sea urchin- foundation

b)

Kudzu vine- keystone, beaver- invasive, sea otter- keystone

c)

kudzu vine- foundation, beaver- keystone, sea otter- invasive

d)

kudzu vine- invasive, beaver- foundation, sea otter- keystone

28.

Which of the following statements is true?

a)

Primary succession is followed by secondary succession

b)

Primary succession occurs over a shorter time span

c)

Forest fires and hurricanes lead to primary succession because a soil base still exists

d)

Volcanoes creating igneous rock formations lay based for primary succession to take place

29.

Pioneer species like moss and lichen are most likely to show up after

a)

primary succession

b)

secondary succession

30.

Organisms that make physical changes and help create habitats are known as

a)

Invasive species

b)

Keystone species

c)

Foundation species

d)

Endangered species

31.

Which of the following is true about island biodiversity?

a)

Small islands are more likely to have more immigrated species

b)

Small islands have more biodiversity

c)

Small islands have more species

d)

Small islands have less resources

32.

A role played by an organism in an ecosystem is known at its

a)

Niche

b)

Job

c)

Role

d)

Duty

33.

A role played by an organism in an ecosystem is known at its

a)

Niche

b)

Job

c)

Role

d)

Duty

34.

What is the difference between primary and secondary succcession?

a)

Primary succession already has soil

b)

Lichen and moss come in for secondary succession

c)

Secondary succession already has soil

d)

Climax community is achieved quickly in primary succession

35.

Which of the following has a negative impact on biodiversity?

a)

Accidental introduction of invasive species

b)

Burning fossil fuels

c)

Burning the Amazon forest

d)

Population growth

e)

Overconsumption

36.

Jay has 3 green marbles, 4 red skittles, and 5 twix. What is the species richness?

a)

3

b)

12

c)

1.5

d)

0.50

37.

True or False: Mass extinctions are common.

a)

True

b)

False

38.

Which pair of biogeochemical cycles are most associated with inorganic fertilizer and sewage waste?

a)

Carbon and Nitrogen cycles

b)

Carbon and Sulfur cycles

c)

Phosphorus and Nitrogen cycles

d)

Sulfur and Nitrogen cycles

e)

Sulfur and Water cycles

39.

In which biogeochemical cycles are humans most affecting the natural greenhouse affect?

a)

Carbon, Nitrogen, and Water cycles

b)

Carbon and Phosphorous cycles

c)

Phosphorus and Nitrogen cycles

d)

Sulfur and Nitrogen cycles

e)

Sulfur and Water cycles

40.

A forest has a GPP of 3.8 kilograms C/m^2/year and the rate of cellular respiration is 2.4 kilograms C/m^2/year. What is the NPP?

a)

6.2 kg C/m^2/year

b)

1.4 kg C/m^2/year

c)

1.0 kg C/m^2/year

d)

9.12 kg C/m^2/year

e)

1.58 kg C/m^2/year

41.

Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere

a)

are in steady state

b)

are decreasing

c)

are increasing

d)

can not be measured

42.

Which of the following is not an abiotic factor?

a)

sunlight

b)

pH

c)

water temperature

d)

bacteria

e)

soil texture

43.

Choose the correct sequence for energy flow within an ecosystem

a)

Herbivores --> producers --> carnivores --> scavengers

b)

Producers --> herbivores--> carnivores --> scavengers

c)

Producers --> carnivores --> herbivores--> carnivores

d)

Scavengers--> carnivores --> herbivores--> producers

44.

Which of the following statements best describes the concept of NPP

a)

Energy captured minus energy lost

b)

total amount of energy available for the sun

c)

Total amount of energy produced from photosynthesis

d)

Total amount of cellular respiration conducted within an ecosystem

45.

What type of plate boundary is shown here?

a)

Convergent

b)

Subduction

c)

Divergent

d)

Transform

46.

What type of plate boundary is shown here?

a)

Convergent

b)

Subduction

c)

Divergent

d)

Transform

47.

What type of plate boundary is most likely to cause earthquakes?

a)

Convergent

b)

Subduction

c)

Divergent

d)

Transform

48.

Which soil particle is largest in diameter?

a)

Clay

b)

Silt

c)

Sand

d)

Loam

49.

In which layer of the atmosphere does weather take place?

a)

Troposphere

b)

Stratosphere

c)

Mesosphere

d)

Thermosphere

e)

Exosphere

50.

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

a)

Troposphere

b)

Stratosphere

c)

Mesosphere

d)

Thermosphere

e)

Exosphere

51.

What is the ozone layer?

a)

A layer of pollution

b)

A layer of still air with no wind

c)

A zone that absorbs UV radiation from the sun

d)

A zone that absorbs air pollution

52.

Which wind system is closest to the equator?

a)

Doldrums

b)

Westerlies

c)

Polar easterlies

d)

Trade winds

53.

As altitude increases, what happens to temperature?

a)

Temperature increases

b)

Temperature decreases

c)

Temperature does not change with altitude

54.

Which gas is there the most of in the atmosphere?

a)

Oxygen

b)

Nitrogen

c)

Water vapor

d)

Carbon dioxide

55.

Which of the following items has the highest albedo?

a)

Asphalt

b)

Grass

c)

Rooftops

d)

Snow

56.

ENSO events take place in which ocean basin?

a)

Atlantic

b)

Indian

c)

Pacific

d)

Arctic

57.

Why does the Earth have seasons?

a)

Tilt of the Earth on its axis

b)

Earth's shape

c)

Earth's rotation around the Sun

d)

Earth's rotation on its own axis

58.

Which month has the highest precipitation?

a)

July

b)

August

c)

September

d)

June

59.

If a primary consumer contains 1,000 kcal of energy, the secondary consumer gains how much energy when it eats the primary consumer?

a)

1,000 kcal

b)

100 kcal

c)

10 kcal

d)

10,000 kcal

60.
The Coriolis effect is responsible for
a)
the convergence of two ascending Hadley cells
b)
the location of atmospheric currents caused by the unequal heating of Earth
c)
the cooling effect of air as it rises and expands
d)
the deflection of atmospheric currents
61.
Which horizon is made up of partially weathered rocks?
a)
Horizon A
b)
Horizon B
c)
Horizon C
d)
Horizon D or R
62.
_______ is the type of soil used most often with plants. It is a mixture of clay, sand, and silt.
a)
loam
b)
humus
c)
mud
d)
dirt
63.
Soil sample that is 60% clay, 30% silt, and 10% sand has which texture? 
a)
clay
b)
clay loam
c)
sandy loam
d)
silt 
64.

Observe this diagram of a plate boundary. One statement BEST describes what is happening. It is that

a)

the oceanic crust is melting.

b)

the denser ceanic crust is subducting under the less dense oceanic crust

c)

volcanic islands are forming.

d)

the tectonic plates are moving away from each other.

65.
What is "upwelling"?
a)
when wind near a shore pushes surface water away, nutrient rich cold water rises from the depths
b)
water rises from springs at the bottom of lakes
c)
it is when cold water sinks in the Norwegian Sea
d)
It is when the Coriolis effect makes currents go around in a circle