AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
I. Multiple choice. Choose the best answer and write the letter in the space provided.
(2 points each)
_____ 1. Which of the following would be considered water pollution from a non-point source?
A. Chemicals from a factory entering a stream through a drain pipe.
B. Sewage leaking into a lake from a treatment plant.
C. Left over paint thrown in a ditch and washed in to a river.
D. Agricultural pesticides leaked into ground water from a storage area.
E. Residential and Industrial runoff contributing to poor water conditions.
_____ 2. Which of the following types of pollution is harmful because polymers break down
slowly and can be harmful to wildlife?
A. Mining
B. Agricultural
C. Plastics
D. Industrial
_____ 3. In a flowing stream, the breakdown of degradable wastes by bacteria depletes DO and
creates an
A. Oxygen sag curve.
B. Oxygen spike curve.
C. Oxygen rich atmosphere.
D. Increase in biodiversity.
E. Increase in populations of organisms with high oxygen requirements.
_____ 4. The oxygen sag curve shows a drop in _____?
A. Low Oxygen demand organisms
B. High Oxygen demand organisms
C. Oxygen demand.
D. Dissolved Oxygen.
_____ 5. In which of the following zones would you expect fish to be absent?
A. Clean zone
B. Decomposition zone
C. Septic zone
D. Recovery zone
E. There would be fish in every zone
_____ 6. In which of the following zones would you expect to find trash fish like carp, gar and
leeches?
A. Clean zone
B. Decomposition zone
C. Septic zone
D. Recovery zone
E. These fish could be in any zone.
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
_____ 7. . Parts of a river associated with a point-source pollutant are shown below. Which of
the combinations is incorrectly paired?
A. Clean zone - high levels of dissolved oxygen
B. Point of input - rapid increase of biological oxygen demand
C. Decomposition zone - only pollution - tolerant fishes found
D. Septic zone - most fish absent, low levels of dissolved oxygen
E. Recovery zone - normal levels of dissolved oxygen
_____ 8. Dissolved oxygen content will _____ as pollution increases.
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the Same
D. Fluctuate
_____ 9. Untreated sewage and industrial wastes are a serious and growing problem in
developing countries because
A. Most can’t afford to build waste treatment plants.
B. Point source pollution is on the rise.
C. The same water is used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes.
D. All of the above
E. A and C only
_____ 10. The natural aging process of a shallow lake or slow moving stream, as nutrients enrich
the water body, is called
A. bioaccumulation
B. infiltration
C. natural services
D. eutrophication
E. ecological efficiency
_____ 11. Which of the following would be an example of cultural Eutrophication?
A. Run off from an agricultural field.
B. Erosion of a river bank from heavy rains.
C. Weathering of sandstone due to wind.
D. Run off of plant nutrients in a tropical rain forest.
E. Decrease in vegetation due to low dissolved oxygen.
_____ 12. Lakes near areas with high human population densities will frequently experience
large growths of algae or other unwanted bacteria and phytoplankton, often due to a
lack of secondary waste treatment. This is the result of
A. power companies dumping heated water from cooling towers.
B. the development of lake-front shorelines with beaches.
C. sediment runoff from construction sites.
D. non-point source pollution runoff from sidewalks and parking lots.
E. large nutrient influxes from sewage treatment plants.
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
_____ 13. Which of the water pollutants below is incorrectly paired with its source?
A. Oxygen - demanding wastes - sewage
B. Sediments - unlined landfills
C. Organic chemicals - industry and farms
D. Heavy metals - mining refuse
E. Thermal - electric power plants
. _____ 14. Which of the common diseases below is transmitted though contaminated drinking
water?
A. Chicken Pox
B. Cholera
C. Flu
D. Measles
E. Lead poisoning
_____ 15. Which of the following would be the best example of a location of depleted oxygen
caused by the Mississippi River?
A. Where the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers meet
B. Where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet
C. Where the Mississippi empties into the Gulf of Mexico
D. Where the Mississippi flows through cities
E. Where the Mississippi flows through farmland
_____ 16. The depleted oxygen zone caused by the Mississippi River is primarily a result of
A. sediment runoff from constructions sites.
B. wakes from boats traveling up and down the Mississippi River.
C. lack of current flow in the main stem of the river.
D. nitrate runoff from agricultural fields and sewage treatment plants.
E. the river's freshwater dissolving in the Gulf of Mexico and precipitating out
organic chemicals.
_____ 17. Which law sets standards for the allowed levels of key water pollutants and requires
polluters to obtain permits limiting how much of various pollutants the can discharge
into aquatic systems?
A. National environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1969
B. Water Pollution Control Act of 1972
C. Clean Water Act 1977
D. Coastal Zone Management Act 1980
E. Water Quality Act 1987
_____ 18. Water flows slowly through grit chambers allowing sand and small particles to settle
out during which phase of water treatment?
A. Primary treatment
B. Secondary treatment
C. Disinfection
D. Advanced treatment
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
E. Discharge
_____ 19. This type of water treatment is not used except when warranted by local regulations.
A. Primary treatment
B. Secondary treatment
C. Disinfection
D. Advanced treatment
E. Discharge
_____ 20. Nitrates and phosphates are removed during this step of water treatment.
A. Primary treatment
B. Secondary treatment
C. Disinfection
D. Advanced treatment
E. Discharge
_____ 21. Which of the following would be considered ways to prevent groundwater pollution?
i. Injecting microorganisms to clean contamination
ii. Installing monitoring wells near landfills and underground tanks
iii. Banning hazardous waste disposal in landfills
iv. Storing harmful liquids in aboveground tanks with leak protection and collection
systems
A. i only
B. i, ii only
C. i, ii, iii
D. ii,iii, iv
_____ 22. The majority of solid waste generated in the United States is in what form?
A. Toxic waste
B. Industrial solid waste
C. Municipal solid waste
D. Radioactive waste
E. Electronic waste
_____ 23. One of the major disadvantages of recycling goods is that
A. It may cost more than burying trash in areas with ample space
B. It increases profits for landfill operators
C. It helps to protect biodiversity
D. It is an important part of the economy
E. It saves energy and reduces mineral demand
_____ 24. Many environmental scientists advocate that the best and cheapest way to deal with
solid waste is to
A. Truck the waste to landfills and bury it
B. Reduce the amount produced in the first place
C. Incinerate the waste to generate electricity
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
D. Establish grass-roots organizations advocating for fewer landfills
E. Pass more laws and treaties with tighter controls on emissions of pollutants.
_____ 25. When you are in an area that restricts the type of plastics that can be recycled, why
should you remove plastic caps from bottles when you go to recycle them?
A. A small amount of other plastics can contaminate and make useless recycled
plastic
B. It is impossible to remove plastic caps from bottles before recycling
C. Plastic bottle caps cost too much to dispose of after their removal
D. The coloring of bottle caps makes them difficult to recycle
E. Bottles with their caps on cannot be recycled and are thrown away.
_____ 26. Which of the following would NOT be considered Municipal solid waste?
A. Plastic water bottles
B. Paper grocery bags
C. Methane from coal mining and oil refining
D. Sewage sludge from a residential neighborhood
E. Newspapers
_____ 27. Which of the following would be considered organic Hazardous wastes?
i. Lead
ii. PCB’s
iii. Arsenic
iv. Dioxins
A. i only
B. i, iii only
C. ii, iii
D. ii, iv
_____ 28. Which of the following statements about e-waste is NOT true?
A. E-waste consists of toxic and hazardous wastes.
B. Most e-waste ends up in landfills or incinerators.
C. The e in e-waste stands for electronic.
D. A cradle to grave approach to e-waste would require families to pay for disposal
of electronics.
E. Much of the e-waste produced in the United States is shipped to foreign countries.
_____ 29. Using something for another purpose instead of throwing it away would be an
example of which solution reducing solid wastes?
A. Refuse
B. Reduce
C. Reuse
D. Repurpose
E. Recycle
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
_____ 30. Which of the following is an example of primary closed loop recycling?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Using shredded tires to create a rubberized road surface.
Using waste newspaper to make other types of paper.
Transforming newspapers into cellulose insulation.
Using industrial plastic wastes to make lawn furniture
recycling industry waste and discarded garments into new yarn
IV. Essay. 15 points (Please use complete sentences.)
After reading the following editorial from The Fremont Daily, answer the questions that follow.
IS RECYCLING SMART ECONOMICS?
Debates about recycling often become highly charged and passionate. Over the past decade some
headlines have heralded that “trash is treasure” while others have proclaimed that “recycling is
garbage.”
The antagonists in these debates are disagreeing over public policy and its role in shaping
decisions about resource use. Both sides in these debates frequently have broad policy agendas
that go far beyond choosing the most efficient way to mange solid waste. Both sides also
promote their political agendas with unsupported assertions and incomplete information.
Determining what amount of recycling will result in efficient resource use requires systematic
analysis.
Proponents of recycling argue that recycling saves resources. For example, most manufacturers
of aluminum cans currently depend on recycled aluminum for more than 50% of their needs.
This recycled input reduces the economic and environmental costs associated with mining and
landfills.
A common argument for the anti- recycling side is that recycling wastes resources. It takes
resources to recycle. For example, it takes human effort to sort aluminum cans from other trash
and energy to move aluminum cans from the consumer back to the manufacturer.
It may not make economic sense to recycle all materials or all of any single material, but
numerous studies have shown that there are net benefits to society at low or modest levels of
recycling most materials. The question is, Which has the higher environmental cost: using
recovered materials or using virgin materials? Do recovered or virgin materials cost more in
resources? The answer is complex and changing.
Your next environmental decision is fast approaching. Should you put this copy of The Fremont
Daily in the recycling bin or should you put it in the trash?
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5-Oct-10
AP Environmental Science
Test # 9 (75 points)
Name: ______________________________
A. Consider the arguments regarding aluminum presented in the editorial, then make
i. A similar argument in favor or recycling the newspaper and
ii. A similar argument against recycling the newspaper
B. If a community can afford to begin a recycling program for either aluminum or
newspapers, which one would you recommend to be recycled? Provide two reasons why
your recommendation is better than the alternative.
C. Discuss two difficulties that the community might face in implementing the recycle
program in part B.
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