APES Practice Exam: Atmosphere Layers

Questions and Answers

What is the troposphere?

The highest layer of the atmosphere

The layer above the stratosphere

The layer that contains the Earth's daily weather (correct)

The layer where the ozone layer exists

What does the mesosphere extend from?

Above 80 km

0-10 km

10-20 km

50-80 km (correct)

In which layer does the Earth's ozone layer exist?

Troposphere

Thermosphere

Mesosphere

Stratosphere (correct)

What is the highest layer of the atmosphere?

Thermosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the E horizon?

It concentrates silt and sand. Signup and view all the answers

What does the O horizon consist of?

Litter layer of mostly undecayed materials. Signup and view all the answers

What is bedrock?

The deep underlying non-soil materials. Signup and view all the answers

What is the B horizon known for?

It accumulates minerals leached from layers above. Signup and view all the answers

What is the A horizon also known as?

Topsoil. Signup and view all the answers

The AIDS virus is transmitted through bodily fluids.

True Signup and view all the answers

Earthquakes can cause massive destruction.

True Signup and view all the answers

Asbestosis is caused by exposure to mosquito bites.

False Signup and view all the answers

Radon exposure is primarily linked to skin cancer.

False Signup and view all the answers

Malaria is caused by bacteria carried by mosquitoes.

False Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes grassland soil?

Substantial organic layer, fire helps to break down plant material. Signup and view all the answers

How is desert soil characterized?

Rocky, very dry, and contains almost no organic matter. Signup and view all the answers

What defines tropical rainforest soil?

Acidic and contains very little organic matter despite large plant population. Signup and view all the answers

What does deciduous forest soil contain?

Rich in humus and partially decayed leaves. Signup and view all the answers

What is nitrogen dioxide involved in?

The formation of nitric acid. Signup and view all the answers

What is suspended particulate matter?

Dust or soot. Signup and view all the answers

What is a photochemical oxidant?

Ozone. Signup and view all the answers

Sulfur dioxide is involved in the formation of sulfuric acid.

True Signup and view all the answers

What are the health effects of carbon monoxide?

Reduced blood oxygen levels. Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of the second stage of a septic treatment plant?

Lower the amount of organic matter in the water. Signup and view all the answers

Which animals are affected by thermal pollution in a stream?

Insect larvae in the water. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Superfund Program describe?

National priorities and brownfields sites. Signup and view all the answers

What may indicate increased global temperature?

Later fall frosts and northward migration of some plant species. Signup and view all the answers

In countries with high infant mortality rates, what is often a contributing factor?

High levels of infectious diseases. Signup and view all the answers

What does composting produce?

A nutrient-rich soil conditioner. Signup and view all the answers

Energy can be converted from one form to another.

True Signup and view all the answers

Energy input always equals output.

True Signup and view all the answers

The laws of thermodynamics can be applied to living systems.

True Signup and view all the answers

At each step of an energy transformation, some energy is lost to heat.

True Signup and view all the answers

Energy and matter can generally be converted into each other.

False Signup and view all the answers

What causes oxygen-depleted zones in oceans?

Excessive fertilizers carried into oceans causing algal blooms. Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of genetically modified foods?

Improved yield in crops. Signup and view all the answers

What supplies a great amount of useful energy to humans?

A liter of gasoline. Signup and view all the answers

Correct the geological eras in order:

Precambrian = First Paleozoic = Second Mesozoic = Third Cenozoic = Fourth Signup and view all the answers

What percent of the world's solid waste is produced by the US?

33 percent. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conservation easement?

A binding agreement to preserve land from further development. Signup and view all the answers

What is the highest priority of the Clean Water Act?

Policies to attain fishable and swimmable waters in the US. Signup and view all the answers

What does evolution describe?

Changes in the genetic composition of a population over many generations. Signup and view all the answers

What contributes to a woman having more or less healthy children?

Level of education. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?

The maximum number of a species that can be sustained. Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of ozone loss related to UV light?

Increased skin cancer rates in humans. Signup and view all the answers

What effects can ozone in the troposphere cause?

Eye irritation, bronchitis, headache, emphysema. Signup and view all the answers

What does the net primary productivity (NPP) of an area indicate?

The amount of energy that plants pass on to herbivores. Signup and view all the answers

What does the second law of thermodynamics explain for living organisms?

All living things must have a constant supply of energy in the form of food. Signup and view all the answers

Why is acid deposition concerning for amphibians?

They need to live in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Signup and view all the answers

What are the internal costs of an automobile?

Car insurance, fuel, raw materials, labor, and new tires. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of scrubbers in smokestacks?

To reduce materials such as SO2 in the smoke that is discharged. Signup and view all the answers

What are tailings?

The unusable parts that remain after ore is mined. Signup and view all the answers

What are economic goods?

Items like swing sets, computer repair services, food, and game tickets. Signup and view all the answers

What fuel contains the greatest amount of sulfur?

Coal. Signup and view all the answers

What aspects do economic resources include?

Renewable resources, natural resources, manufactured capital, and labor. Signup and view all the answers

What do biological reserves allow countries to do?

Set aside critical habitats to ensure the survival of species. Signup and view all the answers

Which country has the largest population?

China. Signup and view all the answers

What phase of the hydrologic cycle requires solar energy?

Evaporation. Signup and view all the answers

What is included in full cost pricing of a refrigerator?

The refrigerator's total impact on the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What does 10 ppm refer to?

There are 10 molecules of the chemical in one million molecules of water. Signup and view all the answers

What type of birth control is primarily a chemical control?

Birth control pill. Signup and view all the answers

What are disadvantages of old style landfills?

Bad odors, toxic waste, subsidence, and they are an eyesore. Signup and view all the answers

What has the international treaty concerning endangered species (CITES) tried to protect?

Endangered species through prohibiting trade. Signup and view all the answers

What are potential results of rising ocean levels due to global warming?

Salt intrusion into freshwater aquifers, beach erosion, and disruption of local fisheries. Signup and view all the answers

How is the chemical action that produces compost best described?

Decomposition. Signup and view all the answers

What produces non-point source pollution?

A large area of farmland near a river. Signup and view all the answers

What does a nation's gross domestic product measure?

The amount of economic development. Signup and view all the answers

What does shaft sinking entail?

Requires people and machinery to operate underground. Signup and view all the answers

What does the total fertility rate best express?

The average number of babies born to a woman between the ages of 14 and 40. Signup and view all the answers

What contaminated the surrounding areas of Love Canal?

Leaching into groundwater, flowing into sewers, runoff, and spilled drums of waste. Signup and view all the answers

What are distinct building blocks of matter?

Atoms. Signup and view all the answers

In seawater, where is carbon found?

Bicarbonate ions. Signup and view all the answers

Why do acid rain and snow harm some areas more?

They have less ability to neutralize acids. Signup and view all the answers

What are areas rich in phosphorus?

Rocks, water, living organisms, guano. Signup and view all the answers

What process caused the addition of oxygen to the early Earth's atmosphere?

Photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

What caused the shrinking of the Aral Sea?

The diversion of the sea's two feeder rivers for agricultural uses. Signup and view all the answers

Why are riparian zones important parts of land?

They are areas of diverse habitats along the banks of rivers. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of fish farming?

Can lead to large die-offs due to disease. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of fish farming?

Produces large volumes of food and allows for genetic engineering. Signup and view all the answers

What does environmental wisdom suggest?

All species are important and we are not in charge. Signup and view all the answers

What form of nitrogen can plants use directly?

Nitrates. Signup and view all the answers

What are the effects of thermal inversion?

Polluted air at the surface cannot rise due to warm air above. Signup and view all the answers

What can shifting taxes to tax pollution allow people to do?

Shift to a pattern of more sustainable development. Signup and view all the answers

What is most damaging to stratospheric ozone?

Chlorofluorocarbons. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of exponential growth in numbers?

2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Signup and view all the answers

Where can samples of atmospheric gases from past eras be most easily obtained?

Gases trapped in polar ice caps. Signup and view all the answers

What is most affected by the loss of decomposers?

Nitrogen cycling. Signup and view all the answers

What is a trace element necessary for plant growth?

Magnesium. Signup and view all the answers

What does the environmental justice movement express concern about?

Uneven exposure of people of color and poor people to environmental pollution. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Atmosphere Layers

Troposphere: Contains the Earth's daily weather and is heated by infrared radiation from the surface.
Stratosphere: Home to the Earth's ozone layer.
Mesosphere: Extends from 50 to 80 km above Earth.
Thermosphere: The highest layer of the atmosphere, above 80 km.

Soil Horizons

O Horizon: The litter layer with mostly undecayed materials.
A Horizon: Known as topsoil, a mixture of soil loam and detritus.
E Horizon: Contains concentrated silt and sand.
B Horizon: Where leached minerals accumulate.
Bedrock: The deep underlying non-soil materials.

Environmental and Health Concerns

AIDS: Caused by a virus transmitted through bodily fluids.
Asbestosis: Results from exposure to microscopic fibers of asbestos.
Malaria: Caused by a bacterium carried by mosquitoes.
Radon: A radiation source linked to lung cancer.
Thermal Pollution: Affects aquatic life, particularly insect larvae.

Pollution and Waste Management

Suspended Particulate Matter: Includes dust or soot affecting air quality.
Scrubbers: Devices in smokestacks that reduce sulfur dioxide emissions.
Excess Fertilizers: Cause algal blooms leading to hypoxic zones in oceans.
Total Fertility Rate: Represents the average number of live births per woman.

Natural Resources and Conservation

The Superfund Program: Addresses National Priorities and brownfield sites for cleanup.
Conservation Easement: A binding agreement preserving land for tax benefits.
Biological Reserves: Areas set aside to protect critical habitats.
Economic Goods: Examples include a swing set, repair services, food, and game tickets.

Ozone and Climate Issues

Stratospheric Ozone: Damaging agents like chlorofluorocarbons heavily impact this layer.
Acid Deposition: Harms amphibians that inhabit both land and aquatic environments.
Global Warming Effects: Rising ocean levels can lead to freshwater salt intrusion and disruption of fisheries.

Thermodynamics and Energy

Second Law of Thermodynamics: Explains why living organisms need a constant energy supply.
Lumens of Energy: Plants passing on energy to herbivores signify net primary productivity (NPP).
Full Cost Pricing: Considers a product's total environmental impact.

Agriculture and Food Systems

Genetically Modified Foods: Increased crop yield is a significant benefit.
Fish Farming: Produces substantial food volumes but poses disease risks and genetic concerns.

Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Environmental Justice Movement: Highlights inequities in pollution exposure among marginalized communities.
Importance of Species: All species play crucial roles, underscoring the concept of environmental wisdom.

Atmospheric Chemistry

Nitrates: The direct form of nitrogen usable by plants.
Magnesium: A trace element necessary for various plant growth functions.
Photosynthesis: The process responsible for the rise of oxygen in early Earth’s atmosphere.

Historical Context

Love Canal: A case study of contamination due to waste leaching affects surrounding areas.
Aral Sea Crisis: A significant environmental disaster caused by river diversion for agriculture.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the layers of the atmosphere with this AP Environmental Science practice exam. This quiz features key terms and definitions related to the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Prepare for your AP exam and solidify your understanding of atmospheric science.