UNIT 4 TEST– HUMAN IMPACTS

Multiple Choice (1 Point Each)

1. Which of the following is not a form of carbon? a. limestone b. carbon dioxide c. carbonic acid d. nitric acid

2. Limestone is important because it… a. is used in agriculture to neutralize soil b. is used by industry to cut down on air pollution c. is used by marine animals to create shells d. is used by land animals to build up the skeletal system

3. Why is carbon dioxide an important part of the atmosphere? a. it helps regulate the temperature of the planet b. it is used by animals during respiration c. it is a byproduct of photosynthesis d. the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is too small to be important

4. Dead and decaying animals are an important store house of ______. a. Water c. oxygen b. Carbon dioxide d. methane

5. Eutrophication occurs because of the build up of ______. a. nutrients (like Nitrogen) c. carbon dioxide b. water d. methane

6. What is a toxic substance? a. any substance that harms the health of an plant b. any substance that harms the health of an animal c. any substance that harms the quality of the water d. all of the above

7. A build of up ______in a pond may produce an excess of algae. a. carbon dioxide c. nitrogen b. oxygen d. toxins

8. Fluorine (Think of Flouride) is an important component of the formation of which of the following? a. hair c. teeth b. skin d. finger and toe nails

9. Which of the following has the ability to “fix” nitrogen? a. lightning c. certain bacteria in the ground b. industry d. all of the above

10. Which of the following spheres is the biggest reserve for the nitrogen on our planet? a. atmosphere c. geosphere b biosphere d. hydrosphere

11. Why is nitrogen essential to life on earth? a. it is found in DNA b. plants use it to generate energy c. animals use it to generate energy d. nitrogen is not essential to life on earth 12. How can fertilizers contribute to the nitrogen cycle? a. addition of nitrogen to the hydrosphere b. addition of nitrogen to the atmosphere c. removal of nitrogen from the hydrosphere d. removal of nitrogen from the atmosphere

13. Carbonic acid is produced when carbon dioxide reacts with which compound? a. Water b. nitrogen c. methane d. CFC’s

14. Which of the following is carbon dioxide not found in a. atmosphere b. fire extinguishers c. soda pop d. copper

15. The acid rain problem can be associated with which of the following compounds? a. methane b. CFC’s c. Carbon dioxide d. Ozone

16. Which of the following is a natural source of carbon dioxide? a. volcanic activity b. coal plants c. byproduct of photosynthesis d. animal waste

17. Renewable resources ____. a. can be replenished over months, years, or decades (1 Generation) b. are all living resources c. have finite supplies that will one day be used up d. include iron, natural gas, and copper

18. Harnessing the sun’s energy to produce heat or electricity is ____. a. non-polluting c. possible only in coastal areas b. inexpensive d. a major source of air pollution

19. Which of the following is a problem associated with the increased use of nuclear energy? a. cost of building safe nuclear facilities b. major hazards involved in nuclear waste disposal c. concern over the possibility of a serious nuclear accident d. all of the above

20. One way that mining for mineral resources damages the land is by ____. a. adding greenhouse gases to the environment b. depleting the world’s ozone c. causing salinization d. increasing soil erosion

21. Natural compost helps preserve the health of soil because it ____. a. is a natural fertilizer b. contains pesticides that kill insects c. breaks rock down into additional soil d. adds artificial fertilizers that help plants grow 22. According to Figure 4-2, what is the single largest source of air pollutants? a. solid waste disposal b. transportation c. stationary source fuel combustion d. industrial processes

23. Which of the pollutants shown in Figure 4-2 are considered to contribute to the pollution problem known as acid precipitation? a. carbon monoxide and particulates b. carbon monoxide and sulfur oxides c. nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides d. nitrogen oxides and volatile organics

24. How does deforestation affect the geosphere? a. leaves land open to erosion b. produces toxic byproducts that leach into the groundwater c. releases harmful gases into the soil d. destroys habitat needed by wild animals

25. What is the function of the atmosphere’s ozone layer? a. shields Earth from harmful solar radiation b. provides the oxygen needed by human life c. protects Earth from the sun’s heat d. removes pollution from the atmosphere 26. CFC’s are harmful to the environment because they… a. destroy all greenhouse gases b. contribute to the amount of greenhouse gases c. deplete the ozone layer d. build up the ozone layer

27. The ozone layer is located in the a. ecolosphere b. stratosphere c. lithosphere d. hydrosphere

28. How are people helping to reduce the destruction of the ozone layer? a. ozone action days b. limit use of certain chemicals like CFC’s c. reduce amount of fossil fuels burned d. people are not concerned about the hole in the ozone layer

29. The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide helps to ____. a. deflect harmful radiation from space b. increase precipitation in arid areas c. form clouds in the atmosphere d. maintain warmth near Earth’s surface

30. Which of the following is NOT true of greenhouse gases? a. They absorb Earth’s radiation. b. They are produced solely by human activities. c. They are transparent to incoming solar radiation. d. They include carbon dioxide and water vapor.

31. What phenomenon naturally warms Earth’s lower atmosphere and surface? a. the formation of sunspots c. global warming b. changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit d. the greenhouse effect

32. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas? a. carbon dioxide c. methane b. water vapor d. nitric acid

33. What is the relationship between fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect? a. Burning fossil fuels decreases incoming solar radiation. b. Burning fossil fuels decreases the absorption capacity of greenhouse gases. c. Burning fossil fuels lowers the greenhouse effect. d. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

34. During the twentieth century, Earth’s average surface temperature ____. a. increased c. stayed the same b. decreased d. fluctuated wildly

35. Based on ice core data, which of the following gases has increased significantly over the last 150 years? a. carbon dioxide c. oxygen b. water vapor d. hydrogen

36. Recent global warming appears to be the result of a. changes in global wind patterns b. a decrease in the greenhouse effect c. increases in greenhouse gases in the air d. changes in Earth’s revolution around the sun

37. Shoreline erosion and coastal flooding are two consequences of ____. a. increased rates of evaporation c. volcanic eruptions b. a global rise in sea level d. the greenhouse effect 38. Which statement best explains why global warming may lead to an increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes? a. Sea level will rise. b. Ocean temperatures will increase. c. The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will increase. d. Droughts will decrease.

39. Which of the following is NOT a possible consequence of global warming? a. more frequent and intense hurricanes c. reduction in secondary pollutants b. rising sea level d. more frequent and intense droughts

40. Melting of glaciers may have the following impact on the oceans a. decrease in salinity c. increase in salinity b. lowering sea levels d. no impact at all

41. Which climate experiences seasonal periods of perpetual night? a. humid tropical c. highland b. humid mid-latitude d. polar

42. Which of the following may cause long-term changes in climate? a. volcanic eruptions c. changes in ocean circulation b. changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit d. changes in solar output

I43. n dry climates, rates of evaporation exceed ____. a. rates of condensation c. number of sunny days b. rates of precipitation d. average temperatures

44. What is the relationship between elevation and climate? a. The higher the elevation is, the colder the climate. b. The lower the elevation is, the colder the climate. c. The higher the elevation is, the warmer the climate. d. There is no relationship between elevation and climate.

Short Answer

45. Why is nitrogen fixation important to life as we know it? (2 points)

46. Discuss the problems with lake/pond eutrophication. (2 points)

47. Describe how removing large tracts of forests (deforestation) can be harmful to the atmosphere. (2 points)

48. Discuss the overall costs and benefits of solar power as an energy source (2 points)

49. Draw a picture showing the rainshadow effect, label the side of the mountain that receives the most precipitation. (3 points)

50. How are global warming and the greenhouse effect related? (2 points)

51. Discuss the relationship between carbon dioxide levels and average global temperature. (2 points)

Essay: Choose one essay to answer. (5 points) You may choose a second to answer for extra credit (5 points). Be sure to label the essay you wish to count as extra credit.

52. Discuss how carbon moves through the earth systems and how it may both benefit or harm society. Be sure to incude specific examples.

53. Choose one example of how human activities impact the environment. Discuss the effect of these activities as they directly relate to the four earth systems.

54. How does the burning of fossil fuels influence global temperature? How might the change in temperature affect other parts of Earth, such as the hydrosphere and biosphere.