WorksheetsEnvironmental Science A Exam
Total questions: 71
Worksheet time: 36mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Which of the following situations best describes the use of a renewable resource?
a)
filling a car with gasoline
b)
building wooden furniture
c)
mining copper
d)
burning coal in a power plant
2.
All of these fields of study contribute to environmental science EXCEPT:
a)
linguistics
b)
biology and earth sciences
c)
social sciences
d)
physics and chemistry
3.
In which country is the population likely to be increasing MOST RAPIDLY?
a)
Kenya
b)
Germany
c)
Australia
d)
Norway
4.
Using scientific information from chemistry and biology to devise a plan to clean up a lake and make it healthy again describes
a)
ecology
b)
environmental science
c)
earth science
d)
social science
5.
During the agricultural revolution,
a)
a. plants and animals were domesticated
b)
b. fossil fuel use increased
c)
c. human populations decreased due to illness
d)
both (a) and (c)
6.
Which of the following describes the depletion of a renewable resource?
a)
Hunting of excess deer to maintain a healthy population size
b)
Intensive cultivation of farmland that exhausts soil nutrients
c)
Mining coal
d)
Increasing use of solar energy to generate electrical power
7.
All of the following issues involve environmental science EXCEPT:
a)
measuring smog levels in cities.
b)
asking people questions about the cost of various resources.
c)
studying the loss of plant and animal species.
d)
publishing the results of a study on fossil fuel depletion.
8.
Which country is MOST LIKELY to have either a stabilized or a slowly growing population?
a)
India
b)
Canada
c)
Mexico
d)
Pakistan
9.
An ecological footprint is the:
a)
mark a person’s shoe makes in soft earth.
b)
number of animals a person has killed.
c)
amount of land and ocean area needed to support one person.
d)
number of trees people cut down.
10.
Most of today’s environmental problems began during which period(s) in human history?
a)
a. hunter-gatherer period
b)
b. agricultural revolution
c)
c. Industrial Revolution
d)
Both (a) and (c)
11.
Listing both the merits and expenses involved in implementing a particular environmental solution is an:
a)
cost-benefit analysis.
b)
risk assessment.
c)
ecological footprint.
d)
market equilibrium.
12.
Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” essay addresses the conflicts associated with what environmental challenge?
a)
preventing pollution
b)
preserving biodiversity
c)
curbing overpopulation
d)
protecting shared resources
13.
The classification and collection of data that are in the form of numbers is called
a)
statistics
b)
probability
c)
distribution
d)
mean
14.
By examining _____, scientists can test predictions for situations in which it is impossible or unethical to use experiments.
a)
correlations
b)
observations
c)
control groups
d)
variables
15.
In an experiment, the factor of interest is called the:
a)
control group
b)
experimental group
c)
hypothesis
d)
variable
16.
The average mass of a wolf in a pack of wolves is an example of:
a)
mean
b)
distribution
c)
sample size
d)
statistical population
17.
The surface of the earth that is "solid" is made up of
a)
tectonic plates
b)
oceanic crust
c)
basalt and limestone
d)
lakes, rivers and streams
18.
When tectonic plates slide past each other______is likely to occur
a)
mountains forming
b)
earthquakes
c)
tornadoes
d)
oceanic trenches
19.
The experimental method includes which of the following steps?
a)
remaining skeptical, organizing data, and analyzing data
b)
drawing conclusions, being open to new ideas, and communicating results
c)
observing, hypothesizing, predicting, experimenting, and communicating results
d)
being curious, imagining, being able to see patterns, observing, and predicting
20.
If you consider what will add to our understanding of the natural world in making an environmental decision, you are examining a(n) _____ value.
a)
ethical/moral
b)
aesthetic
c)
environmental
d)
scientific
21.
In a scientific investigation, it is important that the number of objects or events being sampled be:
a)
a guess of how likely an unwanted outcome will occur.
b)
large enough to give an accurate estimate for the whole population.
c)
equal to the mean number of objects or events not sampled.
d)
equal to the total statistical population.
22.
When one plate slides under another plate, this in known as a
a)
strike-slip fault
b)
hot spot
c)
subduction zone
d)
convection zone
23.
The three final steps of the experimental method in their correct order are
a)
drawing conclusions, analyzing data, and repeating experiments.
b)
drawing conclusions, repeating experiments, and communicating results.
c)
observing, hypothesizing, and drawing conclusions.
d)
repeating experiments, communicating results, and drawing conclusions.
24.
How did the Himalaya Mountains form?
a)
erosion
b)
convection
c)
glacial movements
d)
colliding tectonic plates
25.
Which of the following is the most geologically active region on the surface of Earth?
a)
glacial valleys
b)
mountain peaks
c)
boundaries between tectonic plates
d)
recharge zones
26.
The ozone layer is located in the
a)
stratoshpere
b)
ionosphere
c)
thermosphere
d)
troposphere
27.
Large-scale atmospheric phenomena caused by air that is constantly in motion is known as
a)
conduction
b)
convection
c)
weather
d)
hurricanes
28.
Where does most of the volcanic activity on earth occur?
a)
The Atlantic Ridge
b)
The Pacific Rim
c)
The Eurasion Plate
d)
The Austratian Coast
29.
The Richter scale best describes the:
a)
location of a wave
b)
frequency of a wave
c)
duration of an earthquake
d)
magnitude of an earthquake
30.
Without the greenhouse effect, Earth's atmosphere would be _______________ to support life.
a)
too hot
b)
too cold
c)
too wet
d)
lacking the oxygen
31.
Which of the following includes all of the water on or near Earth's surface?
a)
geosphere
b)
hydrosphere
c)
atmosphere
d)
lithosphere
32.
Where is most of the fresh water on Earth located?
a)
in reservoirs and lakes
b)
in ice caps and glaciers
c)
in oceans
d)
in streams and tributaries
33.
Deep currents flow along the
a)
ocean floor
b)
ocean surface
c)
thermocline
d)
halocline
34.
Countries that are located along the coast, typically use _____________to obtain fresh water.
a)
ionization
b)
hydrolysis
c)
filtration
d)
desalination
35.
Which of the following is the layer of the atmosphere closest to the earth where weather occurs?
a)
thermosphere
b)
stratosphere
c)
mesosphere
d)
troposphere
36.
What part of Earth encompasses all areas where organisms can obtain the energy they need?
a)
biosphere
b)
hydrosphere
c)
atmosphere
d)
lithosphere
37.
Currents at the surface of the ocean are driven by
a)
tectonic plates
b)
gravity
c)
salinity
d)
wind
38.
With respect to the cycling of energy and matter, Earth is mostly
a)
an open system
b)
a closed system
c)
an ecosystem
d)
a biosphere
39.
Which of the following represents the correct order of the water cycle?
a)
precipitation, collection, evaporation, condensation
b)
collection, humidity, weather, precipitation
c)
precipitation, weather, convection, collection
d)
condensation, precipitation, collection, ground water
40.
The energy in most ecosystems comes from
a)
green plants
b)
the sun
c)
wind
d)
all of the above
41.
Land that is used for growing food and crops is known or zoned as
a)
urban
b)
industrial
c)
residential
d)
agricultural
42.
The community of a pond is made up of all the
a)
abiotic factors in the water
b)
resources organisms need
c)
habitats in and around the water
d)
populations of fish, insects and other living organisms
43.
The layer of the atmosphere where meteors burn up is the
a)
troposphere
b)
stratosphere
c)
mesosphere
d)
thermosphere
44.
An organism is resistant to a chemical if it
a)
has a gene that protects it from the chemical
b)
has been exposed to a small amount of the chemical over time
c)
did not eat anything with the chemical on it
d)
All of the above
45.
In order for life on earth to be sustainable we must focus on
a)
conserving resources
b)
reducing consumption
c)
using green practices such as using renewable energy sources
d)
all of the above
e)
none of the above
46.
What has contributed most to climate change?
a)
The last ice age
b)
Human activities
c)
Solar Radiation
d)
The loss of the ozone layer
47.
Which of the following are consequences of climate change? Check ALL that apply.
a)
Global Temperatures Rising
b)
Hotter Sun
c)
Warming Oceans
d)
Shrinking Polar Icecaps
e)
Human Population Increase
48.
When did most people move to urban areas?
a)
During the American Revolution
b)
During the Agricultural Revolution
c)
Durning the Industrial Revolution
d)
During the last decade
49.
Which of the following best describes a population?
a)
all members of the same species
b)
all types of organisms living in the same place
c)
all the red birds in an area
d)
members of the same species living in the same place at the same time
50.
Which of the following is not a biotic factor in an ecosystem?
a)
roots
b)
insects
c)
leaves
d)
air
51.
These gases will increase global temperatures as the amounts of them in the atmosphere increase
a)
greenhouse gases
b)
solar gases
c)
temperate gases
d)
noble gases
52.
Which counties may be facing a water crisis by 2050 if steps to conserve water are not taken? Check all that apply
a)
Mexico
b)
South Africa
c)
India
d)
America
53.
Which of the following statements is not correct?
a)
Consumers get their energy directly from the sun.
b)
Rare bacteria that live deep in the ocean get their energy from hydrogen sulfide in hot water.
c)
Animals get their energy from the sun indirectly.
d)
Plants and other producers get their energy directly from the sun.
54.
Which kind of organism obtains energy only from producers?
a)
decompsers
b)
herbivores
c)
omnivores
d)
All of the above
55.
Which of the following are renewable resources? Please check all that apply.
a)
Coal
b)
Oil
c)
Natural Gas
d)
Wind energy
e)
Solar energy
56.
Which gas makes up 78 percent of our atmosphere but can be used by plants only when transformed by bacteria first?
a)
Nitrogen
b)
Oxygen
c)
Hydrogen
d)
Carbon Dioxide
57.
Which statement describes how humans are affecting the balance of carbon in the atmosphere?
a)
Overgrazing of grasslands has reduced the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
b)
Severe drought in large areas of the world has decreased the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.
c)
Burning fossil fuels in great quantities has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
d)
Fewer agricultural crops are planted, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
58.
Which of the following would be a "green" use of space?
a)
Building an apartment building
b)
Paving a parking lot
c)
Clearing a forest to build a restaurant
d)
Creating a public park with community gardens
59.
Approximately how much of the world's population lives in cities or urban areas?
a)
10%
b)
25%
c)
50%
d)
75%
60.
Plants play a crucial role in our survival because they:
a)
filter carbon dioxide out of the air
b)
release oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis
c)
filter polllution out of water, acting as a natural filter
d)
all the above
e)
none of the above
61.
What term is used to refer to the many feeding relationships that are possible in an ecosystem?
a)
Food web
b)
Food Chain
c)
Energy Pyramid
d)
Energy Transfer
62.
Biomes
a)
contain two ecosystems, hence the name “biome.”
b)
are usually described by their vegetation.
c)
exist in limited regions of the world.
d)
All of the above
63.
How does commercial farming contribute to global warming?
a)
cattle create a lot of methane and eat a lot of vegetation
b)
loss of grass erodes the land
c)
loss of trees increases the temperature
d)
none of the above
64.
What is one way that you could reduce your carbon footprint?
a)
Use less water
b)
Recycle glass, paper, and plastic
c)
Walk, bike or carpool
d)
All of the above are ways you can reduce your carbon footprint
65.
Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
a)
Ocean pollution has become worse in the past 50 years
b)
Air pollution has become worse in the past 50 years
c)
Lansfills have become more prevalent in the past 50 years
d)
The human population has declined over the past 50 years
66.
As you move up in the atmosphere, air pressure
a)
increases
b)
decreases
c)
stays the same
d)
disappears
67.
Pollution that can be traced to a specific source is known as
a)
non-point source pollution
b)
point-source pollution
c)
isolated pollution
d)
None of the above
68.
Volcanoes that form from violent eruptions are called
a)
Extinct volcanoes
b)
Shield cone volcanoes
c)
Strata cone volcanoes
d)
Dormant volcanoes
69.
Approximately how much of earth's fresh water is available for human use?
a)
3%
b)
6%
c)
10%
d)
100%
70.
Winds are caused by
a)
The uneven heating of earth's surface
b)
Ocean currents
c)
Tropical depressions
d)
Earth's rotation
71.
The established weather patterns of a geographical area over time is
a)
El Nino
b)
Climate
c)
Presssure systems
d)
Barometric pressure
100 %
