All AP Environmental Science Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Ozone
Where in the atmosphere does the ozone layer reside?
Troposphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Thermosphere
Stratosphere
The ozone layer is far enough from organisms not to harm them, but also is close enough to the Earth's surface to maintain the proper temperature and hold its layer rigidity. The stratosphere is the correct answer.
Example Question #2 : Ozone
The ozone layer blocks harmful UV light from reaching Earth's surface. Which of the following best describes the location of the ozone layer?
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, which is one layer above the troposphere (i.e. where we live).
Example Question #1 : Global Effects And Dynamics
Ozone depletion is caused by the presence of halogen containing compounds in the atmosphere. Which of the following is NOT a halogen?
bromine
iodine
neon
fluorine
chlorine
neon
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine are all halogens. Neon on the other hand is an inert noble gas.
Example Question #1 : Global Effects And Dynamics
In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Chile, cases of __________ are increasing due to ozone depletion.
birth defects
species extinctions
cataracts
insect-borne disease
cataracts
Cataracts, skin cancer, and high-intensity sunburns are all on the rise in these countries due to ozone depletion and therefore higher exposure to harmful UV rays.
Example Question #431 : Ap Environmental Sciences
Which environmental issue did the 1989 Montreal Protocol address?
Worldwide loss of biodiversity
Deforestation
Depletion of the ozone layer
Biological warfare
Cimate change
Depletion of the ozone layer
The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty to phase out production of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer, including CFCs and halocarbons.
Example Question #1 : Greenhouse Gases
What is the primary source of the greenhouse gas Nitrous Oxide ()?
Livestock feedlots and synthetic fertilizers
Natural gas
Halocarbon gases
Deforestation
Wood-burning stoves
Livestock feedlots and synthetic fertilizers
Chemical fertilizers are produced to fix nitrogen for farmers' fields, and while fields naturally lose nitrogen to the atmosphere in the form of , increased abundance of fixed nitrogen results in more
being released. Feedlots produce large quantities of nitrogen-rich animal waste, which also decays and enters the atmosphere in massive quantities.
Example Question #1 : Greenhouse Gases
The most abundant greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere is __________.
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
aerosols
hydrogen
ozone
water vapor
water vapor
Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere. Infrared radiation that gets absorbed and reflected by the Earth's surface gets trapped and reflected back to the Earth's surface by greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere in a process known as the "greenhouse effect."
Example Question #1 : Greenhouse Gases
Which of the following greenhouse gasses is produced only by anthropogenic means?
The only gas in these selections that is made only by man is , which is a CFC or Chlorofluorocarbon.
, methane, can be produced by many other organisms; a key example of this are cows.
, or water vapor, has many natural origins such as bodies of water, and finally
also has natural sources like volcanoes.
Example Question #3 : Global Warming
Which of the following accounts for the oscillating levels of in the atmosphere each year? Choose the MOST correct answer.
The tilt of the earth on its axis
Both the tilt of the Earth on its axis and the Earth's revolution around the sun
The revolution of the Earth around the sun
The rotation of the Earth around its axis
Both the tilt of the Earth on its axis and the Earth's revolution around the sun
The variance of annual levels can be accounted for by a combination of both the
tilt of the Earth on its axis by as well as the revolution of the Earth around the sun. These two factors in conjunction with one another create the seasons. Since the Northern Hemisphere has vastly more plant coverage compared to the Southern Hemisphere, the Earth can uptake more carbon dioxide during the summer and spring seasons due to high levels of photosynthesis; however, when the Northern Hemisphere is in fall and winter, many of its plants cannot photosynthesize, leading to a spike in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Example Question #2 : Greenhouse Gases
Each year levels reach a peak near the same time. In a global context, what happens annually that accounts for such a predictable repeating pattern of these peaks in carbon dioxide?
The transportation industry experiences high volume at that time
The Earth is at its closest distance to the sun in its orbit
The Northern Hemisphere experiences winter
Peak industrial manufacturing occurs
The Northern Hemisphere experiences winter
The Northern hemisphere has a much larger basal area comparatively to that of the Southern hemisphere. When the Northern hemisphere is in winter, many of its plants are not able to photosynthesize, therefore the global levels rise due to much fewer plants actively uptaking that
for their photosynthetic processes. By the same token, when the Northern hemisphere is experiencing spring and summer, the carbon dioxide levels fall due to higher photosynthetic activity.
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