AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
AIR POLLUTION
NME: _________________
DATE: ________________
CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. __________ contributes to the formation of ------------- and thereby compounds the
problem of ------------a) Ozone, carbon dioxide, acid rain
b) Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone depletion
c) Sulfur dioxide, acid deposition, global warming
d) Nitrous oxide, ozone, industrial smog
e) Nitric oxide, ozone, photochemical smog
2. Photochemical smog DOES not require the presence of
a) Nitrogen oxides
b) Ultraviolet radiation
c) Peroxyacyl nitrates
d) Volatile organic compounds
e) Ozone
3. A natural component of the atmosphere, it comprises about 0.36% by volume of the
atmosphere and is produced by the decay of vegetation, volcanic eruption,
exhalations of animals, the burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation. What is the gas?
a) Carbon monoxide
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Nitrous oxide
d) Nitrogen dioxide
e) Methane
4. Which of the following is NOT involved in the production of industrial smog?
a) C + O2 ---- CO2
b) C + O2 --- CO
c) S + O2 ---SO2
d) NO2---- NO + O
e) SO2 + O2- SO3
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5. Household water is most likely to be contaminated with radon in homes
A) That are served by public water systems that use a groundwater source
B) That are served by public water systems that use a surface water source.
C) That have private household wells
D) That use bottled water
E) That are served by water agencies that use ozone to disinfect the water.
6. Which reaction is not involved in the formation of acid precipitation?
a) O3 + CxHy -- PANs
b) SO2 + H2O - H2SO3
c) H2SO3 + 1/2O - H2SO4
d) NO + ½ O2 -- NO2
e) 2NO2 + H2O ----) HNO2 + HNO3
7. Normal rainfall has a pH of about
a) 2.3
b) 5.6
c) 7.0
d) 7.6
e) 8.3
8. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about ---------- of all commercial
building in the United States are classified as “sick”.
a) 5%
b) 10%
c) 17%
d) 26%
e) 32%
9. In developing countries, the most likely cause of respiratory illness would be
a) Photochemical smog
b) Industrial smog
c) Cigarette smoke
d) Particulates
e) Asbestos
10. Humans least susceptible to the effects of air pollution are
a) Newborns
b) Children from ages 2 through 10
c) Teenagers
d) Adult males
e) Elderly
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11. Acid precipitation, leaching out the metal ------------------, causes fish and other aquatic
organisms to die from acid shock.
a) Al
b) Pb
c) Hg
d) Cd
e) Fe
12. Which air pollutant best illustrates the effectiveness of legislation?
a) NO2
b) SO2
c) CO2
d) O3
e) Pb
13. A type of pesticide that is highly toxic and that, in most cases, remains in the
environment a relatively short period of time would be
a) Inorganic
b) Organic
c) An organophosphate
d) A fumigant
e) A chlorinated hydrocarbon
14. An effective method to decrease the amount of pesticide use would include the
following EXCEPT
a) Using monoculture techniques
b) Rotating crops
c) Using pheromones
d) Using polyculture techniques
e) Using insect-resistant crops
15. The atmospheric layer largely responsible for absorbing the sun’s ultraviolet radiation
is the
a) Thermosphere
b) Cumulus cloud
c) Troposphere
d) Stratonimbus
e) Ozone
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16. Precipitation is considered acidic (e.g., rain, snow, hail fog) if it has a pH less than
a) 5.6
b) 6.2
c) 7.0
d) 8.2
e) 9.0
17. Atmospheric gases blanketing the Earth exist in a mixture. What percent of this
mixture is nitrogen by volume?
a) 8%
b) 20%
c) 36%
d) 58%
e) 80%
18. The atmospheric layer where all the local temperature, pressure, wind, and
precipitation changes take place is the
a) Stratosphere
b) Ionosphere
c) Mesosphere
d) Troposphere
e) Thermosphere
19. When acid rain falls on limestone statues, monuments, and gravestones, discoloring
and disfiguring surfaces, the process is known as
a) Dispensation
b) Sedimentation
c) Dissolution
d) Suspension
e) Cementation
20. Brown urban smog is not emitted directly from specific sources, but formed in the
atmosphere from nitrogen oxides and
a) Inorganic compounds
b) Volatile organic compounds
c) Potassium chloride
d) Fertilizer
e) Helium
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21. In the workplace, bad air mixed with mold spores has led to
a) Shorter coffee breaks
b) Increased productivity
c) Sick building syndrome
d) Reduced medical costs
e) Greater appreciation of week ends
22. City heat islands cause
a) Pollutants to collect
b) Residents to seek winter vacations
c) Less dust and lightning strikes
d) Reduced rainfall
e) Greater visibility
23. The Comprehensive Environmental Response compensation and Liability act
(CERCA) is commonly called the
a) Superfund
b) Clean air Interstate Rule
c) Liability Limitation Act
d) Clean Water Act
e) CAFÉ standards
24. __________pollutants are emitted directly from identifiable sources.
A) tertiary
b) Primary
c) Secondary
d) Observable
e) None of the above.
25. With the passage of the federal _______ Act, as amended in 1970, major strides were
made in reducing air pollution.
a) Health and welfare
b) Anti-pollution
c) Clean Air
d) Ambient Air Quality
e) Environmental Protection
26. Which of the following cities would have the greatest amount of gray-air smog?
a) New York
b) Beijing, China
c) Los Angeles, California
d) Chicago Illinois
e) London, England
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27. Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?
a) CO
b) Soot
c) VOCs
d) PANs
e) CO2
28. Which of the following is an extremely hazardous gas produced by the incomplete
burning of fossil fuels?
a) Ozone
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Lead
d) Nitrous oxide
e) Carbon monoxide
29. Which statement most accurately describes a temperature inversion?
a) A stable layer of warmer air over cooler air.
b) An unstable layer of warm air over cooler air
c) A layer of cooler air over warmer air
d) A mixing of all the layers of the atmosphere
e) A layer of ozone concentrated in the stratosphere
30. Which of the following is an indoor air pollutant found in particle board, furniture,
wall paper, and carpeting?
a) Ozone
b) Nitrous oxide
c) Radon
d) Formaldehyde
e) Sulfur dioxide
31. Phasing out the use of CFCs and reducing smog is covered under which of the
following?
a) Clean Water Act
b) Safe Drinking Water Act
c) Clean Air Act
d) Fugitive Emission Act
e) Environmental Protection Agency
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32. _____________- primary pollutants are emitted directly from identifiable sources.
a) Secondary
b) Observable
c) Primary
d) Tertiary
e) None of the above
33. With the passage of the federal _____________ Act, as amended in 1970, major
strides were made in reducing air pollution
a) Health and welfare
b) Anti-pollution
c) Environmental protection
d) Ambient Air Quality
e) Clean Air
34. Which of the following is NOT a primary pollutant?
a) Carbon monoxide
b) Sulfuric acid
c) Nitrogen oxides
d) Particulate matter
e) Sulfur dioxide
35. The source of nearly half our pollution (by weight) is from the _________ category.
a) Agricultural
b) Stationary source fuel combustion
c) Transportation
d) Industrial processes
e) None of the above
36. A pH of 4 is _________ times more acidic than a pH of 5
a) 5
b) 10
c) 50
d) 75
e) 100
37. The major component of photochemical smog is ___________
a) Carbon monoxide
b) Sulfuric acid
c) Nitrogen dioxide
d) Particulate matter
e) Ozone
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38. Which one of the following pollutants has shown the greatest percent decrease in
concentration during the past years?
a) Lead
b) Ozone
c) Nitrogen dioxide
d) Particulate matter
e) Sulfur dioxide
39. Air pollution is likely to be most severe
a) Near the center of an anticyclone
b) Along fronts
c) When the atmosphere is turbulent
d) In the interior of continents
e) In the summer
40. The Montreal Protocol was an agreement on
a) Slowing down world population growth
b) Reducing carbon dioxide emission
c) Reducing the production of chlorofluoro carbons
d) Reducing the number of coal fired stations
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Answers
1. E as the sunlight becomes more intense, nitrogen dioxide is broken down into
nitric oxide and oxygen atoms and the concentration of ozone increases
2. C. nitrogen dioxide can also react with volatile organic compounds released by
vehicles, refineries, gas stations, and the like to produce toxic chemicals such as
PAN. PANs are products, they are not required.
3. B. carbon dioxide is the product of cellular respiration.
4. D. this step is present in the formation of photochemical smog
5. C. radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. As required by the Safe Drinking
Water Act, EPA has developed a proposed regulation to reduce radon in drinking
water that has a multimedia mitigation option to reduce radon in indoor air.
6. A.
7. B
8. C
9. D
10. D
11. A there are ways in which Al kills fish (1) it is able to reduce the ion exchange
through the gills and subsequently cause a salt depletion. The fish will exude
mucus to combat the Al in their gills. This mucus builds up and clogs the gills so
that oxygen and salt transport is inhibited.
12. E
13. c. Organophosphates are pesticides that affect functioning of nervous system.
14. A
15. C
16. A
17. E
18. D
19. C
20. B
21. C. people suffer headaches, allergies, fatigue, nausea, and respiratory problems
leading to greater medical costs, and low productivity.
22. A
23. A
24. B
25. C
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26. B. gray-air smog is the result of burning a large volumes of coal to generate
electricity and provide heat to homes. China uses a great deal of coal to meet its
energy needs.
27. D. PANs are secondary pollutant and are produced from the reaction of
hydrocarbons, oxygen, and nitrogen dioxide.
28. E
29. A
30. D
31. C
32. C
33. E
34. B
35. C
36. B
37. E
38. A
39. A
40. C
41.
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