Test your basic knowledge |

AP Environmental Science

Subjects : science, ap
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The number of children an average woman will bear during her lifetime; this information is based on an analysis of data from preceding years in the population in question.






2. The coarsest soil - with particles 0.05 -2.0 mm in diameter.






3. An influential theory that concerns the long-term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline.






4. Transition in species composition of a biological community - often following ecological disturbance of the community; the establishment of a biological community in any area virtually barren of life.






5. A hydrocarbon that forms as sediments are buried and pressurized.






6. Graphical representations of populations' ages.






7. When the signs and symptoms of an illness can be attributed to a specific infectious organism that resides in the building.






8. The process in which animals (and plants!) breathe and give off carbon dioxide from cellular metabolism.






9. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals and resulting in the development of new species.






10. A climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven years - for a duration of about one year.






11. The low-rainfall region that exists on the leeward (downwind) side of a mountain range. This rain shadow is the result of the mountain range's causing precipitation on the windward side.






12. Organisms that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter.






13. The uppermost horizon of soil. It is primarily made up of organic material - including waste from organisms - the bodies of decomposing organisms - and live organisms.






14. The energy of motion.






15. A process in which cold - often nutrient-rich - waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface.






16. A platinum - coated device that oxidizes most of the VOCs and some of the CO that would otherwise be emitted in exhaust - converting them to CO2.






17. The process by which - according to Darwin's theory of evolution - only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations - while those less adap






18. The use of devices - such as solar panels - to collect - focus - transport - or store solar energy.






19. The point at which 50 percent of the test organisms show a negative effect from a toxin.






20. The area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs.






21. The part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.






22. In a sewage treatment plant - the initial filtration that is done to remove debris such as stones - sticks - rags - toys - and other objects that were flushed down the toilet.






23. States that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.






24. This category includes organisms that consume producers (plants and algae).






25. Any other species of fish - mammals - or birds that are caught that are not the target organism.






26. Organisms that consume both producers and primary consumers.






27. When materials - such as plastic or aluminum - are used to rebuild the same product. An example of this is the use of the aluminum from aluminum cans to produce more aluminum cans.






28. The number of children a couple must have in order to replace themselves in a population.






29. Fires that typically burn only the forest's underbrush and do little damage to mature trees. Surface fires actually serve to protect the forest from more harmful fires by removing underbrush and dead materials that would burn quickly and at high temp






30. A layer of soil.






31. A model that's used to predict population trends based on the birth and death rates as well as economic status of a population.






32. Drilling a hole in the ground that's below the water table to hold waste.






33. Countries that have a renewable annual water supply of less than 1 -000 m3 per person.






34. Any substance than is inhaled - ingested - or absorbed at dosages sufficient to damage a living organism.






35. The value of natural resources.






36. Non-moving sources of pollution - such as factories.






37. Biotic and abiotic natural ecosystems.






38. The process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive link in the food chain.






39. The industry or occupation devoted to the catching - processing - or selling of fish - shellfish - or other aquatic animals.






40. The removal of trees for agricultural purposes or purposes of exportation.






41. The observed effect of the Coriolis force - especially the deflection of an object moving above the Earth - rightward in the Northern Hemisphere - and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere.






42. Involves the removal of the Earth's surface all the way down to the level of the mineral seam.






43. The region draining into river system or other body of water.






44. An introduced - normative species.






45. Land that's fit to be cultivated.






46. The dark - crumbly - nutrient-rich material that results from the decomposition of organic material.






47. Countries that have a renewable annual water supply of about 1 -000 -2 -000 m3 per person.






48. The carrier organism through which pathogens can attack.






49. Organisms that reproduce later in life - produce fewer offspring - and devote significant time and energy to the nurturing of their offspring.






50. The broad category under which selective cutting and shelter-wood cutting fall; selective deforestation.