Final Test Review: Part 1
(yeah, it’s happening…you mad, bro?)
Chapters 7 and 8: Wind Cycles, Ocean Currents and Weather
1. Draw the wind cell. Label where HIGH and LOW pressures are, a water source, type of air, and what goes on
between each type of air.
2. Why does wind exist? What aspect of wind helps regulates temperatures in a place?
3. Draw the globe. Label: Hadley Cell, Ferrel Cell, Polar Cell, Trade Winds, Westerlies. Be sure, when drawing the
three cells, to label which ones are counterclockwise, and which are clockwise
4. Between 2 Hadley cells, what biome is found? Why is this?
5. Between a Hadley cell and a Ferrel cell, what biome is found found. Why is this?
6. Between a Ferrel cell and a Polar cell, what biome is found? Why does this biome form and not a tropical
rainforest?
7. Describe the rain shadow effect, using a real-life example to help you explain it.
8. Describe low pressure air, and the resulting weather. Do the same for high pressure air.
9. What is a temperature inversion, and why does it create such a problem in urban areas? What are the effects?
10. How are a tundra and a desert similar to one another? How are they different?
11. Why, in a desert, would plants be succulent (fleshy, no leaves)? How does this differ from the large, green
broadleaf plants of a tropical rainforest?
12. Give three examples of “Grassland” biomes discussed in class. What is a distinct quality about grassland biomes
in terms of rainfall?
13. Describe the soil in a tropical rainforest. Why would it not be an ideal place for farming?
14. What is upwelling? Why is it necessary in aquatic biomes? What event every 3-4 years slows upwelling?
Chapters 15 and 16: Renewable and Non-renewable Energy
1. You live in a community of 5,000 homes that rely on coal as a source of fuel. The average home uses 15,000
kwh of energy per year at the cost of $.10/kwh.
Instead, town members want to switch to wind power; installing 10 wind turbines ($1.5 million each) which will
last 25 years.
a. What would be the monthly electric bill for one home in this community?
b. How much energy does your entire community use per year? 25 years?
c. If the energy needs stay the same over the 25 year lifetime of the wind turbines, what would be the cost
for the community for wind power (in $/kwh)? How does it compare to the cost of coal?
2. What is the difference between a renewable and non-renewable resource?
3. What are the Two Laws of Energy/Thermodynamics?
4. Where is the source of geothermal energy? What are two pros and two cons for using this resource?
5. How long will it take until we run out of oil? What is being done to slow down this process?
6. Which fossil fuel is the “gateway between non-renewable and renewable energy sources?” What is the most
important attribute about this fuel?
7. How do passive and active solar power differ in terms of the actual process, and energy efficiency?
8. What is biomass? Why, although it is a renewable resource, can also be considered non-renewable?
9. Describe how hydroelectric power works. What is the most common example of hydroelectric power in the real
world? Give three pros and three cons for this type of power source.
Final Test Review: Part 2
Chapters 18 and 19: Air Pollution and Global Warming
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What are the four major atmospheric layers? Describe what happens in each layer and why they are important.
What are the two major types of smog? What gas is the basis for each type?
Smog creates temperature inversions and heat islands. Explain what each of these terms means.
Another major form of air pollution is PM10. What does this term stand for, and given an example of this type?
Why can PM10 pollutants be harmful?
What is the difference between a primary and secondary air pollutant?
What does ppm mean? If it has been measured that there are 1,000 ppm of CFCs, what % of air is that?
Explain the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols, and describe the differences between them.
Name three major greenhouse gases, and where they are commonly found.
Describe the Greenhouse Effect, either using words or a picture.
Why are Greenhouse gases actually important for Earth? Why is it becoming a problem?
CO2 levels change throughout the year due to seasonal changes. How are the two related and why?
Describe the albedo effect, and why it is an example of a positive feedback loop?
How are CO2 and temperature related?
Describe the four-step CFC problem. Why, given their lifespan, are CFCs harmful?
What is permafrost? Why is global warming bad for permafrost?
Why are generalist species thriving in global warming conditions?
Graph
Time (Year) 1970
1975 1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
CO2 (ppm)
322
327
333
338
346
365
372
389
401
Temp
0.1
0.15 0.05
0.23
0.29
0.14
0.43
0.53
0.54
Change (oC)
a. Draw a line graph for the following information given above.
b. Since we have stopped the usage of some greenhouse gases like CFCs, and are beginning to use
alternative energy sources, what can we expect to happen to this line graph by the year 2100?
c. How do CO2 and temperature relate, for the most part?
18. APES ONLY: It has been observed that the emission of CFCs is approximately 50 kg of CFC per year per 100
humans. Given a density of 400,000 humans per hectare in the city of LA, calculate the amount of CFCs emitted,
in kilograms, by humans inhibiting a 15,000 m2 city. (1 hectare = 10,000 m2)
Chapters 17 and 22: Waste and Toxicology
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What are the five major types of waste? Give one example for each.
What are three major methods that are used to get rid of waste? (include composting in your answer)
What is NIMBY? Give three examples of things that relate to NIMBY and why they relate to it.
Which two waste disposal methods are examples of NIMBY? Why do they fall under this category?
What is bioremediation? Where is it being used today?
The Superfund is the most important federal law related to waste in the United States. Explain what it does, and
give one example where this law was put in effect (think about the example discussed in class).
7. Our lab involved using brine shrimp to measure the LD50 of ammonia. Explain what LD50 is, relating it to our lab.
8. What is biomagnification (start with “as you move up the food chain…”). How does this relate to toxic
substances like pesticides (DDT)?
9. What is the difference between chronic and acute pain? Give one example of each type.
Final Test Review: Part 3
Chapters 5 and 14: Plate Tectonics, Soil
1. What are the different layers of Earth? (4 total). Which is the hottest? Which is the thickest? Which is the
thinnest?
2. The oldest rocks are found _______________, and the youngest rocks are found _______________.
3. What is continental drift? What theory explains this phenomenon?
4. What are the three major types of rocks? How are they formed?
5. Draw the rock cycle. Include SEDIMENT and MAGMA (those two will be given on test)
6. How does the law of supply and demand work?
7. What is a major type of gas being released from coal mines that contributes to acid rain (this is also released
from volcanic eruptions)?
8. Name the three types of plate boundaries. Describe how they work, and draw a picture for each.
9. What is formed when convergent plate boundaries move? What about divergent plates?
10. How do volcanic eruptions happen in convergent and divergent plates?
11. Why do transform boundaries not create volcanic eruptions?
12. Draw a volcano and label the following: conduit, vent, crater, base, magma chamber, lava, pyroclastic ash.
13. What are hotspots? Where is a good example of a hotspot?
14. How can volcanic eruptions lower global temperatures?
15. How does an earthquake’s focus differ from its epicenter?
16. Draw an example of a seismogram. Explain what each wave represents
17. What are the four major components of soil? How does it appear on the soil texture triangle (draw it)?
18. Rank the particle size of the four soil components from largest to smallest. Which type of soil component is best
for plant growth? What about plants requiring little water?
19. Explain how soil is different amongst grassland, desert and forest biomes in terms of soil content, acidity levels,
thickest soil layer, etc.
20. What is soil erosion? Give an example where this has occurred, why it has occurred, and give an example of a
possible solution to this problem.
Chapter X: Astronomy
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What are the commonalities of the terrestrial planets? Name all four terrestrial planets.
What are the commonalities of the gaseous planets? Name all four gaseous planets.
According to Kepler, how do planets move around the sun?
Define eccentricity, give the range, what the highest and lowest number represents, and formula.
According to Kepler, how does the distance from the sun relate to the time it takes to orbit the sun?
How could ancient scientists tell the difference between a star and a planet?
Provide the life cycle for a: small star, medium star, large star.
Our galaxy is the _______________ and its shape is a _____________.