WorksheetsHuman Impact and Earth's Systems
Total questions: 23
Worksheet time: 12mins
Which statement about the effects of natural events and human activities is true?
The environment is not usually affected by natural events.
All human activities change the environment in a negative way.
Natural events always have a positive impact on the environment.
Human activities and natural events can damage the environment.
Pollution can enter the hydrosphere in many different ways. Which statement describes a type of point-source pollution?
Oil being transported on a ship spills into the ocean.
Grease from cars washes into a stream along the roadway.
Litter along beaches gets pulled into the ocean by the tide.
Rainwater carries chemical fertilizer from land into a stream.
There are many sources of air pollution in the United States and around the world. Some are natural sources, and others come from human activities. Which example is a natural source of air pollution?
car exhaust fumes
dust from construction sites
methane gas from cow manure
smoke from the burning of fossil fuels
Which effect of mining for resources most directly impacts the biosphere?
releasing dust into the air
increasing erosion of soil
adding sediment to waterways
degrading habitats for animals
Which example best describes how human activity can directly impact the geosphere?
Poor farming practices can degrade the soil and cause erosion.
Dumping waste from a factory into a river can pollute the water supply.
Construction activities can release harmful dust and chemicals into the air.
Removing too many fish from the ocean can cause a fish species to go extinct.
The burning of coal releases sulfur dioxide gas. How might the burning of coal lead to damaged plant life?
Sulfur dioxide can combine with drops of water to form acid rain.
Sulfur dioxide is a radioactive material that is dangerous for many years.
Sulfur dioxide gives off heat that raises the temperature of bodies of water.
Sulfur dioxide causes the remains of animals to decompose at a faster rate.
People often build structures to control how rivers flow. What is the name for the type of structure that uses raised land to prevent the water from spreading out when river water rises?
delta
levee
dead zone
lock-and-dam
Which activity would be part of a logical plan to reduce each person’s resource use at home?
The city installs a recycling center.
People turn off all lights that are not in use.
People drive below the speed limit to save gas.
People burn trash instead of putting it out for pick up.
As part of a natural resources management plan, an apartment’s owner wants to reduce overall water usage. Which recommendation should she include that will help her renters reduce water usage?
Buy drinking water from the store.
Shower before entering the swimming pool.
Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth.
Bathe only in the afternoon while others are out.
Which of these is an example of a way that a school can reduce the amount of water the school uses?
Install automatic faucets in the restrooms.
Recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the cafeteria.
Turn off computers in the computer lab when they’re not in use.
Collect waste food and create a compost pile for a school garden.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the standards for water quality in the United States. The EPA’s maximum contaminant level for chlorine in drinking water is 4 ppm. What does this mean?
Drinking water must have more than 4 ppm of chlorine.
Drinking water in the United States contains 4 ppm of chlorine.
The EPA has never found more than 4 ppm of chlorine in drinking water.
The amount of chlorine in drinking water must be less than or equal to 4 ppm.
What is one challenge that comes with using new technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
New technologies are not yet available.
New technologies only work in certain areas.
New technologies can consume more fossil fuels.
New technologies can be more expensive than existing technology.
In general, organic material breaks down faster than inorganic material. Which type of solid waste is likely to take the longest to break down in a landfill?
paper plate
glass bottle
wood scraps
banana peel
A city wants to use the engineering design process to develop a way to monitor resource use in the city. What is the first step the city should take?
identify the resource that the city needs to monitor
create and test a model of one way to monitor resources
brainstorm different ways to monitor the city’s resource use
determine the criteria and constraints for monitoring resource use
Which of these is an example of a human activity that causes climate change?
burning fossil fuels
removing greenhouse gases
using alternative energy sources
increasing ash particles from volcanoes
Which gas in Earth’s atmosphere acts like this greenhouse?
argon
oxygen
nitrogen
carbon dioxide
Which effect is not currently considered to be caused by global climate change?
rising sea levels
reduction in Arctic sea ice
more severe tropical storms
increased precipitation worldwide
Which activity would reduce human sources of greenhouse gases?
increasing the size of livestock herds
monitoring worldwide volcanic activity
using wind energy to generate electricity
researching ways to add methane to the atmosphere
Greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere. As these gases increase, which of these processes occurs and allows more heat to be trapped?
Ash particles in the air block sunlight.
Solar radiation is reflected into space.
Increased infrared radiation is absorbed.
Decreased water vapor causes less cooling of the air.
Which best explains why it is important for people to have clean air and water?
Pollutants in water and air cause climate change.
Air and water that are polluted taste and smell bad.
Crops cultivated in polluted air and water will not grow.
Unpolluted water and air are necessary for the health of living things.
Modern agricultural technologies include using chemicals on crops and livestock, specialized breeding of plants, monitoring soil quality, and modernization of farm equipment. Which effect of these advances in agricultural practices negatively impacts the environment?
People are able to produce crops on smaller plots of land.
Antibiotics given to animals may affect the balance of bacteria in humans.
Some animals in these areas have died off because of the chemicals used.
Plants grown previously are replaced by breeds better able to withstand disease.
Wetlands are usually found along larger bodies of water. Living things in wetlands have been found to remove pollution there. Scientists argue that as human activities decrease the size of wetlands, the levels of pollution in the area increase. Which question would give an answer that provides evidence to support this argument?
How does the loss of habitat affect the animals that live there?
How do we decrease the amount of pollutants in the wetlands?
What role do plants and animals have in the wetlands?
What function does water near the wetlands have in the environment?
A controlled fire has been purposely set and monitored by scientists, foresters, and firefighters in a forest. What is the most likely purpose of this fire?
The fire is designed to remove dangerous insects.
The fire is designed to clear the forest for building.
The fire will allow for the healthy growth of a forest.
The fire will change the habitat to clear it from predators.
