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Questions and Answers
What is the troposphere?
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?
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?
In which layer does the Earth's ozone layer exist?
- Troposphere
- Thermosphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere (correct)
What is the highest layer of the atmosphere?
What is the highest layer of the atmosphere?
What is the function of the E horizon?
What is the function of the E horizon?
What does the O horizon consist of?
What does the O horizon consist of?
What is bedrock?
What is bedrock?
What is the B horizon known for?
What is the B horizon known for?
What is the A horizon also known as?
What is the A horizon also known as?
The AIDS virus is transmitted through bodily fluids.
The AIDS virus is transmitted through bodily fluids.
Earthquakes can cause massive destruction.
Earthquakes can cause massive destruction.
Asbestosis is caused by exposure to mosquito bites.
Asbestosis is caused by exposure to mosquito bites.
Radon exposure is primarily linked to skin cancer.
Radon exposure is primarily linked to skin cancer.
Malaria is caused by bacteria carried by mosquitoes.
Malaria is caused by bacteria carried by mosquitoes.
What characterizes grassland soil?
What characterizes grassland soil?
How is desert soil characterized?
How is desert soil characterized?
What defines tropical rainforest soil?
What defines tropical rainforest soil?
What does deciduous forest soil contain?
What does deciduous forest soil contain?
What is nitrogen dioxide involved in?
What is nitrogen dioxide involved in?
What is suspended particulate matter?
What is suspended particulate matter?
What is a photochemical oxidant?
What is a photochemical oxidant?
Sulfur dioxide is involved in the formation of sulfuric acid.
Sulfur dioxide is involved in the formation of sulfuric acid.
What are the health effects of carbon monoxide?
What are the health effects of carbon monoxide?
What is the goal of the second stage of a septic treatment plant?
What is the goal of the second stage of a septic treatment plant?
Which animals are affected by thermal pollution in a stream?
Which animals are affected by thermal pollution in a stream?
What does the Superfund Program describe?
What does the Superfund Program describe?
What may indicate increased global temperature?
What may indicate increased global temperature?
In countries with high infant mortality rates, what is often a contributing factor?
In countries with high infant mortality rates, what is often a contributing factor?
What does composting produce?
What does composting produce?
Energy can be converted from one form to another.
Energy can be converted from one form to another.
Energy input always equals output.
Energy input always equals output.
The laws of thermodynamics can be applied to living systems.
The laws of thermodynamics can be applied to living systems.
At each step of an energy transformation, some energy is lost to heat.
At each step of an energy transformation, some energy is lost to heat.
Energy and matter can generally be converted into each other.
Energy and matter can generally be converted into each other.
What causes oxygen-depleted zones in oceans?
What causes oxygen-depleted zones in oceans?
What is a benefit of genetically modified foods?
What is a benefit of genetically modified foods?
What supplies a great amount of useful energy to humans?
What supplies a great amount of useful energy to humans?
Correct the geological eras in order:
Correct the geological eras in order:
What percent of the world's solid waste is produced by the US?
What percent of the world's solid waste is produced by the US?
What is a conservation easement?
What is a conservation easement?
What is the highest priority of the Clean Water Act?
What is the highest priority of the Clean Water Act?
What does evolution describe?
What does evolution describe?
What contributes to a woman having more or less healthy children?
What contributes to a woman having more or less healthy children?
What describes the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
What describes the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
What is a consequence of ozone loss related to UV light?
What is a consequence of ozone loss related to UV light?
What effects can ozone in the troposphere cause?
What effects can ozone in the troposphere cause?
What does the net primary productivity (NPP) of an area indicate?
What does the net primary productivity (NPP) of an area indicate?
What does the second law of thermodynamics explain for living organisms?
What does the second law of thermodynamics explain for living organisms?
Why is acid deposition concerning for amphibians?
Why is acid deposition concerning for amphibians?
What are the internal costs of an automobile?
What are the internal costs of an automobile?
What is the purpose of scrubbers in smokestacks?
What is the purpose of scrubbers in smokestacks?
What are tailings?
What are tailings?
What are economic goods?
What are economic goods?
What fuel contains the greatest amount of sulfur?
What fuel contains the greatest amount of sulfur?
What aspects do economic resources include?
What aspects do economic resources include?
What do biological reserves allow countries to do?
What do biological reserves allow countries to do?
Which country has the largest population?
Which country has the largest population?
What phase of the hydrologic cycle requires solar energy?
What phase of the hydrologic cycle requires solar energy?
What is included in full cost pricing of a refrigerator?
What is included in full cost pricing of a refrigerator?
What does 10 ppm refer to?
What does 10 ppm refer to?
What type of birth control is primarily a chemical control?
What type of birth control is primarily a chemical control?
What are disadvantages of old style landfills?
What are disadvantages of old style landfills?
What has the international treaty concerning endangered species (CITES) tried to protect?
What has the international treaty concerning endangered species (CITES) tried to protect?
What are potential results of rising ocean levels due to global warming?
What are potential results of rising ocean levels due to global warming?
How is the chemical action that produces compost best described?
How is the chemical action that produces compost best described?
What produces non-point source pollution?
What produces non-point source pollution?
What does a nation's gross domestic product measure?
What does a nation's gross domestic product measure?
What does shaft sinking entail?
What does shaft sinking entail?
What does the total fertility rate best express?
What does the total fertility rate best express?
What contaminated the surrounding areas of Love Canal?
What contaminated the surrounding areas of Love Canal?
What are distinct building blocks of matter?
What are distinct building blocks of matter?
In seawater, where is carbon found?
In seawater, where is carbon found?
Why do acid rain and snow harm some areas more?
Why do acid rain and snow harm some areas more?
What are areas rich in phosphorus?
What are areas rich in phosphorus?
What process caused the addition of oxygen to the early Earth's atmosphere?
What process caused the addition of oxygen to the early Earth's atmosphere?
What caused the shrinking of the Aral Sea?
What caused the shrinking of the Aral Sea?
Why are riparian zones important parts of land?
Why are riparian zones important parts of land?
What is a disadvantage of fish farming?
What is a disadvantage of fish farming?
What is an advantage of fish farming?
What is an advantage of fish farming?
What does environmental wisdom suggest?
What does environmental wisdom suggest?
What form of nitrogen can plants use directly?
What form of nitrogen can plants use directly?
What are the effects of thermal inversion?
What are the effects of thermal inversion?
What can shifting taxes to tax pollution allow people to do?
What can shifting taxes to tax pollution allow people to do?
What is most damaging to stratospheric ozone?
What is most damaging to stratospheric ozone?
What is an example of exponential growth in numbers?
What is an example of exponential growth in numbers?
Where can samples of atmospheric gases from past eras be most easily obtained?
Where can samples of atmospheric gases from past eras be most easily obtained?
What is most affected by the loss of decomposers?
What is most affected by the loss of decomposers?
What is a trace element necessary for plant growth?
What is a trace element necessary for plant growth?
What does the environmental justice movement express concern about?
What does the environmental justice movement express concern about?
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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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