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 more or less constant winds blowing in horizontal directions over the Earth's surface - as part of Hadley cells.






2. The result of graphing a dose-response analysis.






3. The liquid that percolates to the bottom of a landfill.






4. Biotic and abiotic natural ecosystems.






5. Air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric heating and cooling.






6. When water rights are given to those who have historically used the water in a certain area.






7. 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.






8. An organism that obtains organic food molecules without eating other organisms or substances derived from other organisms. autotrophs use energy from the sun or from the oxidation of inorganic substances to make organic molecules from inorganic ones.






9. Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also - a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.






10. A process that allows the organic material in solid waste to be decomposed and reintroduced into the soil - often as fertilizer.






11. Being extinct or the process of becoming extinct.






12. The thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica (and to some extent - over the Arctic).






13. The water from which a river rises; a source.






14. A species whose very presence contributes to an ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would consequently lead to the extinction of other forms of life.






15. Organisms that reproduce early in life and often and have a high capacity for reproductive growth.






16. The process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water. Erosion moves the smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser - sandier - stonier texture.






17. The molten core of the Earth.






18. Radioactive wastes that produce low levels of ionizing radiation.






19. The result of a pathogen invading a body.






20. A symbiotic relationship in which one member is helped by the association and the other is harmed.






21. The number of individuals of a population that inhabit a certain unit of land or water area.






22. When trees and crops are planted together - creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between them.






23. The fraction of solar energy that is reflected back into space.






24. Living or derived from living things.






25. The form petroleum takes when in the ground.






26. 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.






27. 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.






28. To convert or change into a vapor.






29. A long - relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland-built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges.






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






31. The phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation - caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide - water vapor - and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through - but absorb heat radiated back fr






32. Any waste that poses a danger to human health; it must be dealt with in a different way from other types of waste.






33. A region of the ocean near the equator - characterized by calms - light winds - or squalls.






34. Sunlight.






35. When a species occupies a smaller niche than it would in the absence of competition.






36. Acid rain - acid hail - acid snow; all of which occur as a result of pollution in the atmosphere.






37. When an area of vegetation is cut down and burned before being planted with crops.






38. Involves the sinking of shafts to reach underground deposits. In this type of mining - networks of tunnels are dug or blasted and humans enter these tunnels in order to manually retrieve the coal.






39. Is equal to the number of deaths per 1 -000 members of the population in a year.






40. Species that originate and live - or occur naturally - in an area or environment.






41. A fiscal policy that lowers taxes on income - including wages and profit - and raises taxes on consumption - particularly the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable resources.






42. Soil with particles 0.002 -0.05 mm in diameter.






43. The maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources in a region.






44. 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.






45. The day-to-day variations in temperature - air pressure - wind - humidity - and precipitation mediated by the atmosphere in a given region.






46. The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds - such as ammonia - by natural agencies or various industrial processes.






47. In fishing - the use of long lines that have baited hooks and will be taken by numerous aquatic organisms.






48. The total sum of a species' use of the biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.






49. Creating flat platforms in the hillside that provide a level planting surface - which reduces soil runoff from the slope.






50. Using strategies to reduce the amount of risk (the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen).