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






2. A hydrocarbon deposit - such as petroleum - coal - or natural gas - derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.






3. Refers to when farmers plant seeds without using a plow to turn the soil.






4. When physically treated sewage water is passed into a settling tank - where suspended solids settle out as sludge; chemically treated polymers may be added to help the suspended solids separate and settle out.






5. When companies are allowed to buy permits that allow them a certain amount of discharge of substances into certain environmental outlets. If they can reduce their amount of discharge - they are allowed to sell the remaining portion of their permit to






6. 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.






7. 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.






8. A system of vertical and horizontal air circulation predominating in tropical and subtropical regions and creating major weather patterns.






9. 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.






10. A succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and - in turn - is preyed upon by a higher member.






11. The rocks and Earth that is removed when mining for a commercially valuable mineral resource.






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






13. 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






14. Power generated using water.






15. Refers to resources - such as plants and animals - which can be regenerated if harvested at sustainable yields.






16. 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.






17. A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.






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






19. A basic substance; chemically - a substance that absorbs hydrogen ions or releases hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water - a measure of the base content of the water.






20. 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.






21. Organisms that consume secondary consumers or other tertiary consumers.






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






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






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






25. Devices containing alkaline substances that precipitate out much of the sulfur dioxide from industrial plants.






26. Organisms that are capable of interbreeding with one another and incapable of breeding with other species.






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






28. Calculating risk - or the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen.






29. The amount that the population would grow if there were unlimited resources in its environment.






30. Bacteria - virus - or other microorganisms that can cause disease.






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






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






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






34. 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.






35. The energy of motion.






36. Smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels.






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






38. The result of a pathogen invading a body.






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






40. A soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out of the A horizon.






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






42. An erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates.






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






44. The right - as to fishing or to the use of a riverbed - of one who owns riparian land (the land adjacent to a river or stream).






45. The use of building materials - building placement - and design to passively collect solar energy that can be used to keep a building warm or cool.






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






47. 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.






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






49. Radioactive wastes that produce high levels of ionizing radiation.






50. A specific location from which pollution is released; an example of a point source location is a factory where wood is being burned.