Problemset
Title
Chapter 3 Quiz
Introductory
Text
Question 1
Why are megaproblems such as climate change so hard to address?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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incorrect
answers:
Answer
Graded
As
Megaproblems are so abstract and wide in scope that they cannot
be measured properly or solved adequately by conventional
scientific methods.
Correct
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Since megaproblems are a combination of several larger problems, Incorrect
they require extremely complex solutions.
Media attention to megaproblems has produced a plethora of
Incorrect
solutions and caused controversy over the “correct” solutions to the
problems.
Megaproblems affect the majority of the world, so any solution
would be ineffective over a wide segment of the population.
Question 2
Incorrect
Why is the ozone depletion problem more severe in Antarctica?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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incorrect
answers:
Answer
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Atmospheric conditions in Antarctica are more conducive to ozone
depletion than in other areas of the world.
Correct
The lack of human population in Antarctica caused the devastation
of the ozone layer to occur for longer periods without detection.
Incorrect
There are no trees in Antarctica to absorb the excess oxygen and
release the CO2 to replenish the ozone layer.
Incorrect
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CFC’s are more widely used in countries that are close to or border Incorrect
the Antarctic, causing higher concentrations in that area.
Question 3
Which of the following is the most analogous to the advances and resulting problems
caused by the development of CFC’s?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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Answer
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Cutting down of the rainforest creates sources of cropland and
timber, but an essential ecosystem is being wiped out in the
process.
Correct
The advent of pesticides and herbicides leads to more widely
Incorrect
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available crops, but causes widespread health issues due to
poisoning.
The development of modern plumbing and water harnessing
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techniques (such as dams and reservoirs) make clean water readily
available, but cause political competition for water rights.
The realization that nature can be used as a commodity leads to the Incorrect
production of a consumer society that betters the standard of living,
but produces copious amounts of waste products.
Question 4
Which of the following could explain why global warming would be harder to address than
the problem with the ozone layer?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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Answer
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Addressing global warming will require greater cultural and
economic changes in society than the problem of the ozone layer.
Correct
Global warming is considered a myth by many important people in
the media and in some scientific circles.
Incorrect
The problem of global warming will take far more time to reverse
than the problem with the ozone layer.
Incorrect
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Politicians and economists do not consider global warming to be as Incorrect
crucial a problem as ozone layer depletion.
Question 5
Which of the following cannot be explained due to ambiguities when using the GCM
models?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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answers:
Answer
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As
the effect of the tropical rainforest on existing or future weather
patterns
Correct
the large fluctuations in temperatures in Mexico over a period of
several months
Incorrect
the change in the European climate after the glaciers retracted in
the prehistoric era
Incorrect
the effect of existing storm patterns such as El Nino or El Nina
Incorrect
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Question 6
Arbor Day, the switch to LED light bulbs, and the push for hybrid and electric cars are all
examples of what type of policy to curtail global warming?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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Answer
Graded As
mitigation
Correct
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Question 7
adaptation
Incorrect
geoengineering
Incorrect
adoption
Incorrect
Which of the following is a key accomplishment of the Kyoto protocol?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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Answer
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It set in motion a worldwide course of action to deal with the
problem of greenhouse gas emissions and started a global
conversation about the problem.
Correct
It held developing countries accountable for their greenhouse gas
emissions and provided ways to mitigate the process.
Incorrect
It set definite goals for countries to attain in order to be in
compliance as well as cause a meaningful reduction in emissions.
Incorrect
It spread the cost of lowering emissions equitably among several
major industrial nations, so no one country bore the financial cost.
Incorrect
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Question 8
What is the most probable reason that scientists have failed in the past to convince
governments of the urgency of global warming?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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Answer
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Scientists structured their arguments around environmental effects
that do not strike governments with the same urgency as financial
effects.
Correct
Scientists were not able to present compelling evidence that would
convince governments to change.
Incorrect
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Governments ignored scientists based on evidence that there is still Incorrect
a large amount of time before the world is truly in “crisis.”
Governments were afraid of the political ramifications of making
policy that would mitigate environmental damage.
Question 9
Incorrect
Which of the following would be an example of risk?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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answers:
Answer
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Investing large sums of money into global warming may lead to a
total loss of investment for minimal gain.
Correct
Studying global warming may not yield any concrete solutions to
the problem.
Incorrect
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Determining the extent of the problem of global warming may not
be possible due to the lack of reliable data.
Incorrect
Classifying all of the negative effects of global warming may be
counterproductive due to the wide scope of interrelated problems
that exist.
Incorrect
Question 10
Which of the following could explain why scientific uncertainty exists within a given realm of
study?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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answers:
Question 11
Answer
Graded
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Scientists approach research from different social and political
constructs and may not use the same language to define the
problem.
Correct
Scientists do not prepare or construct their experiments with
enough care to ensure the accuracy of data.
Incorrect
Scientists allow the paradigms they believe in to cause
inaccuracies in their data.
Incorrect
Scientists fail to recognize the importance of data in contexts
outside of their field of expertise.
Incorrect
Feedback
Type:
A scientist wants to conduct an experiment to determine the effect of global warming on
human health, but cannot be certain of her findings due to the ethical issues with
experimenting on people. This is an example of what type of uncertainty?
Multiple Choice
Hint:
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incorrect
answers:
Question 12
Answer
Graded As
Uncertainty from Theory and Data
Correct
Uncertainty from Paradigms
Incorrect
Uncertainty from Semantics
Incorrect
Uncertainty from Social Contexts
Incorrect
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Type:
A think tank does a study to determine the ultimate effect of a failure of the Hoover Dam on
the population of Denver, CO. This study takes into account which of the following risk
models?
Multiple Choice
Hint:
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incorrect
answers:
Answer
Graded As
Fault Tree and SIA
Correct
Fault Tree and CBA
Incorrect
SIA and Risk Establishment
Incorrect
CBA and SIA
Incorrect
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Question 13
Which is a problem with using risk models to influence policy decisions?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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incorrect
answers:
Answer
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Policy makers take the results of such models to be definite truth
when they are in fact subjective predictions.
Correct
Policy makers tend to simplify the results of scientific studies and
create policies that fail to address the entire situation.
Incorrect
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Policy makers misinterpret the data given by scientists and develop Incorrect
policy that exacerbates the problem.
Policy makers minimize the risks and do not create policy strong
enough to mitigate the problem.
Incorrect
Question 14
Which of the following contributes to an “irrationality” concerning policy decisions on
scientific research?
Type:
Hint:
Multiple Choice
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answers:
Question 15
Answer
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The tendency of organizations to frame problems and solutions in
their best interest.
Correct
The tendency of scientists to place undue stress on their findings.
Incorrect
The tendency of policy makers to create policy without appropriate
knowledge of research.
Incorrect
The tendency of the public to believe media representation of data
instead of scientific fact.
Incorrect
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Why is modern society considered a “risk society”?
Hint:
Type:
Multiple Choice
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answers:
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Modern society has risks that are more complex, so the
understanding of them is limited and we do not feel safer.
Correct
Modern technology is so much more dangerous than in the past;
therefore, we are more at risk than in earlier times.
Incorrect
Modern times, due to industrialization, have many more types of
risk than earlier periods.
Incorrect
Modern people are more willing to engage in risk taking behavior
because the risks of earlier time periods were more easily dealt
with.
Incorrect
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