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. Formed from populations of different species occupying the same geographic area.






2. 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






3. A plate boundary at which plates are moving away from each other. This causes an upwelling of magma from the mantle to cool and form new crust.






4. 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.






5. The point at which 50 percent of the test organisms die from a toxin.






6. Pollutants that are released directly into the lower atmosphere.






7. A method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water onto the soil at the base of each plant.






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






9. The dosage level of a toxin at which a negative effect occurs.






10. The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.






11. The management or regulation of a resource so that its use does not exceed the capacity of the resource to regenerate itself.






12. Can consist of hazardous waste - industrial solid waste - or municipal waste. Many types of solid waste provide a threat to human health and the environment.






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






14. Pertaining to factors or things that are separate and independent from living things; nonliving.






15. 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






16. Piles of gangue - which is the waste material that results from mining.






17. Pollutants that are formed by the combination of primary pollutants in the atmosphere.






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






19. When soil becomes water-logged and then dries out - and salt forms a layer on its surface.






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






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






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






23. The movement of individuals into a population.






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






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






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






27. The structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers and consumers in an ecosystem by kilocalories per square meter - from largest to smallest.






28. 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.






29. An animal that only consumes other animals.






30. A program funded by the federal government and a trust that's funded by taxes on chemicals; identifies pollutants and cleans up hazardous waste sites.






31. The effect caused by a short exposure to a high level of toxin.






32. The removal of select trees in an area; this leaves the majority of the habitat in place and has less of an impact on the ecosystem.






33. The gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body - especially the one surrounding the Earth - which is retained by the celestial body's gravitational field.






34. A semiconductor device that converts the energy of sunlight into electric energy.






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






36. 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.






37. Being extinct or the process of becoming extinct.






38. The value of natural resources.






39. A cyclonic storm having winds ranging from approximately 48 to 121 km (30 to 75 miles) per hour.






40. 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).






41. The amount of sugar that the plants produce in photosynthesis and subtracting from it the amount of energy the plants need for growth maintenance - repair - and reproduction.






42. The process that occurs when two different species in a region compete and the better adapted species wins.






43. 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.






44. Graphical representations of populations' ages.






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






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






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






48. Is the practice of planting bands of different crops across a hillside.






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






50. The accumulation of a substance - such as a toxic chemical - in various tissues of a living organism.