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Sample
Chapter 4 Test Page
A.P.
Environmental Science Sample Exam
a.
declining tax revenue resulting from lower property
values
b.
reductions in local services like garbage collection,
police and fire protection and public schools
c.
increased tax rate
d.
businesses close and properties deteriorate
e.
all of the above
2.
Which of the following provide rationale for keeping forests
sustainable?
b.
moderate regional climatic conditions such as
temperature and rainfall
c.
prevent mineral loss through erosion
d.
are a source of oxygen, store carbon, and remove carbon
dioxide
e.
all of the above
3.
Which population profile below best describes a developing country?
b.
the profile would show a decline of the older population and a
reduction in the number of children and young people
c.
the population profile shows a high fertility rate
d.
the population profile shows a low fertility rate
e.
the profile would show a decrease in the number of children and
young people
4.
According to the energy flow in ecosystems the conversion of light to
organic matter by photosynthesis has an efficiency of:
b.
87%
c.
50%
d.
less than 10%
e.
variable rate 10%-87%
5.
The "tragedy of the commons" refers to:
b.
restricting deforestation of rainforests by private
individuals
c.
a population of common species exceeding their carrying
capacity
d.
the restricting of cattle from grazing on federally
owned grasslands
e.
both b and d are correct
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Sample
Chapter 4 Test Comparison Page
Compare
the questions that you missed to this subject index to see what areas or
concepts that you are weak in.
- If
you missed questions 1, 7, 23, 28, 31, 32, 45, 57, 61, 67, 72,
89, then you should review the concepts related to
environmental rules and regulations, human communities and society,
and environmental ethics and sustainability.
- If
you missed questions 30, 34, 100, then you should
review the concepts related to biodiversity, ecosystem destruction,
and global changes.
- If
you missed questions 2, 14, 36, 39, 42, 59, 64, 85, then
you should review the concepts related to ecosystem structure and
general ecology.
- If
you missed questions 3, 4, 15, 26, 65, 91, then you
should review the concepts related to ecosystems and how they
function.
- If
you missed questions 22, 23, 93, then you should review
the concepts related to population ecology and ecological succession.
- If
you missed questions 6, 8, 13, 41, 50, 73, 74, then you
should review the concepts related to changes in ecosystems, natural
selection, plate tectonics, environmental genetics, and evolution.
- If
you missed questions 3, 9, 10, 16, 29, 71, 82, 88, 94, 98, then
you should review the concepts related to human demographics and
populations, comparisons of developing and developed countries.
- If
you missed questions 18, 25, 33, 66, 70, then you should
review the concepts related to geotechnical science (soils).
- If
you missed questions 6, 35, 38, 52, 54, then you should
review the concepts related to water environmental quality.
- If
you missed questions 55, 84, then you should review the
concepts related to food production.
- If
you missed questions 24, 27, then you should review the
concepts related to biodiversity of the world’s wild species of
animals and plants.
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Sample
Exam Answer Key & Rationale Page
A.P.
Environmental Science Sample Exam Answer Key & Rationale
1. e
Urban blight occurs when conditions within a city decline. This causes
businesses to close resulting in unemployment. As the tax base declines
cities can no longer afford to clean up and repair it's infrastructure,
thus creating lower property values and reduction in local services.
2. e
Forest sustainability refers to the use of an intact forest and it's
products. This is opposite to deforestation or clear cutting. An intact
forest provides many services such as carbon storage, oxygen production,
carbon dioxide reduction, biodiversity, and climate moderation. It also
prevents erosion.
3. c
Population profiles may represent developed and undeveloped countries.
Developed countries tend to have low fertility rates, and if the fertility
rate continues to be low over a period of time, then the profile will show
an increased older population with a declining population of children and
young people.
4. d
Primary production within ecosystems is a very inefficient process,
capturing only about 2% of the solar radiation from the sun. Even though
this is a small fraction of the energy available it still accounts for a
very large amount of energy produced.
5. a
The "tragedy of the commons" refers to a resource that may or
may not be owned, but is used by many people. Examples of this include:
private ranchers using federally owned grasslands or commercial fisheries
using the open ocean. This concept of tens leads to the exploitation of
these common resources and typically causes a decline or destruction of
these resources.
Sample
Chapter 5 Matching Questions Page
Chapter
5
A.P. Environmental Science Matching Questions Test
On your exam you may encounter multiple-choice
questions that include graphs, diagrams, data, matching etc. The following
practice test includes examples of this type of question; they will be
incorporated into the multiple-choice section of 100 questions. There are
50 sample questions to test your knowledge. Use the answer sheet to mark
your answers and the answer key to check your answers, and review the
concepts that you missed. USE THE
ANSWER SHEET IN THE APPENDIX AT THE BACK OF YOUR STUDY GUIDE! Good luck!
Use
the population histograms below to answer questions 25-28.
25. Diagram
A represents:
the world population projection
a.
the age structure in a developing
country
b.
the age structure in a developed country
c.
age structure of India
d.
the population of a developing country that is changing into a
developed country
26. Diagram B represents:
a.
the world population projection
b.
the age structure in a developing
country
c.
the age structure in a developed country
d.
age structure of India
e.
the population of a developing country that probably will be a
developed country in the future
27. Referring to Diagram B, in 25 years:
a.
there will be a large number of elderly people
c.
there will be a large number of new borns
b.
there will be a small number of elderly people
d.
it is impossible to determine population the population is
rapidly expanding
trends
with only one graph
28. Referring
to Diagram B, in 25 years:
a.
there will be a decrease in the population
b.
there will be a decrease only in the younger population
c.
the population is expanding and represents a typical
developing country
d.
there will be little to no change in the population
e.
it is impossible to determine population trends with only
one graph
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Sample
Chapter 6 Free Response Questions Page
Chapter
6
A.P. Environmental Science Free Response Practice Test Questions
2.
Sewage (Wastewater) Treatment policies require local utilities to
treat their wastewater before it is discharged into the environment.
Below is a flow diagram of a typical wastewater treatment facility.
a.
Identify and describe the components in the diagram.
Include a description and function of each component.
Explain each treatment process in terms of:
§
BOD before and after
each process
§
percent removal of
organic solids
b.
Explain possible uses for the materials produced as a result of the
treatment process.
c.
Cite and explain two environmental policies that would affect
wastewater treatment facilities.
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Sample
Chapter 6 Free Response Answer Page
2.) Sewage is the
wastewater released by residences, businesses and industries in a
community. It is 99.94 percent water, with only 0.06 percent of the
wastewater dissolved and suspended solid material. The cloudiness of
sewage is caused by suspended particles, which in untreated sewage ranges
from 100 to 350 mg/l. A measure of the strength of the wastewater is
biochemical oxygen demand, or BOD5. The BOD5
measures the amount of oxygen microorganisms require in five days to break
down sewage. Untreated sewage has a BOD5 ranging from 100 mg/l
to 300 mg/l. Pathogens or disease-causing organisms are present in sewage.
Coliform bacteria are used as an indicator of disease-causing organisms.
Sewage also contains nutrients (such as ammonia and phosphorus), minerals,
and metals. Ammonia can range from 12 to 50 mg/l and phosphorus can range
from 6 to 20 mg/l in untreated sewage.
a)
See the wastewater plant diagram below for important process
identifiers and read on for descriptions:

·
Sewage treatment is a
multi-stage process to renovate wastewater before it reenters a body of
water, is applied to the land or is reused. The goal is to reduce or
remove organic matter, solids, nutrients, disease-causing organisms and
other pollutants from wastewater. Each receiving body of water has limits
to the amount of pollutants it can receive without degradation. Therefore,
each sewage treatment plant must hold a permit listing the allowable
levels of BOD5, suspended solids, coliform bacteria and other
pollutants. The discharge permits are called NPDES permits, which stands
for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
Preliminary Treatment
·
Preliminary treatment to
screen out, grind up, or separate debris is the first step in wastewater
treatment. Sticks, rags, large food particles, sand, gravel, toys, etc.,
are removed at this stage to protect the pumping and other equipment in
the treatment plant. Treatment equipment such as bar screens, comminutors
(a large version of a garbage disposal), and grit chambers are used as the
wastewater first enters a treatment plant. The collected debris is usually
disposed of in a landfill.
Primary Treatment
·
Primary treatment is the
second step in treatment and separates suspended solids and greases from
wastewater. Wastewater is held in a quiet tank for several hours allowing
the particles to settle to the bottom and the greases to float to the top.
The solids drawn off the bottom and skimmed off the top receive further
treatment as sludge. The clarified wastewater flows on to the next stage
of wastewater treatment. Clarifiers and septic tanks are usually used to
provide primary treatment.
Secondary Treatment
- Secondary
treatment is a biological treatment process to remove dissolved
organic matter from wastewater. Sewage microorganisms are cultivated
and added to the wastewater. The microorganisms absorb organic matter
from sewage as their food supply. Three approaches are used to
accomplish secondary treatment; fixed film, suspended film and lagoon
systems.
§
Fixed Film Systems
- Fixed film systems grow microorganisms on substrates such as rocks, sand
or plastic. The wastewater is spread over the substrate, allowing the
wastewater to flow past the film of microorganisms fixed to the substrate.
As organic matter and nutrients are absorbed from the wastewater, the film
of microorganisms grows and thickens. Trickling filters, rotating
biological contactors, and sand filters are examples of fixed film
systems.
§
Suspended Film
Systems - Suspended film
systems stir and suspend microorganisms in wastewater. As the
microorganisms absorb organic matter and nutrients from the wastewater
they grow in size and number. After the microorganisms have been suspended
in the wastewater for several hours, they are settled out as a sludge.
Some of the sludge is pumped back into the incoming wastewater to provide
"seed" microorganisms. The remainder is wasted and sent on to a
sludge treatment process. Activated sludge, extended aeration, oxidation
ditch, and sequential batch reactor systems are all examples of suspended
film systems.
§
Lagoon Systems
- Lagoon systems are shallow basins which hold the waste-water for several
months to allow for the natural degradation of sewage. These systems take
advantage of natural aeration and microorganisms in the wastewater to
renovate sewage.
Final Treatment
§
Final treatment focuses
on removal of disease-causing organisms from wastewater. Treated
wastewater can be disinfected by adding chlorine or by using ultraviolet
light. High levels of chlorine may be harmful to aquatic life in receiving
streams. Treatment systems often add a chlorine-neutralizing chemical to
the treated wastewater before stream discharge.
§
Waste sludge as a result
of the final treatment could be used as fertilizer because it is rich in
organic compounds, and is no longer pathogenic. This would save additional space in landfills.
§
Treated wastewater could
be sold to power companies to use in the production of electricity.
§
Treated wastewater could
be used as irrigation.
§
Treated wastewater could
be used to supply wetlands with water during dryer months.
Three
environmental policies that affect wastewater treatment facilities are:
§
The discharge permits,
called NPDES permits, stand for the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System, state that each sewage treatment plant must hold a
permit listing the allowable levels of BOD5, suspended solids,
coliform bacteria and other pollutants found in their discharge.
§
In 1972, the U.S.
Congress adopted the Clean Water Act to protect the waters of the nation.
Through this act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
corresponding state agencies were given the responsibility to regulate
activities that threaten the quality of the nation's water resources.
In the Federal Clean Water
Act, Congress adopted a comprehensive water policy for the nation and set
as a national goal the elimination of pollutant discharges to the
navigable waters of the U.S. by 1985.
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