HSS 3303 PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
What does the term 'environment' broadly include?
Everything external to ourselves, including physical, natural, social, and behavioral
environments.
How does the impact of health vary with spatial scale?
Health impacts are greater at the household or community level and diminish in intensity as the
spatial scale increases.
What are considered the world's 'natural capital'?
Natural assets such as forests, rivers, soil, oceans, clean air, plants, and animals.
What is the difference between the natural and built environment?
The natural environment is non-humanmade, while the built environment is humanmade.
What components make up the natural environment?
Atmosphere, lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and biosphere (diversity of living things).
Why is a healthy natural environment important?
It is fundamental to the quality of life and wellbeing of people and integral to a strong economy.
What does the built environment include?
Neighborhoods, homes, workplaces, schools, shops, sidewalks, bike paths, streets, transit
networks, green spaces, parks, playgrounds, and buildings.
How does the built environment influence health?
It shapes the conditions in which people live, move, and interact, directly influencing physical
and mental wellbeing.
What are key reasons why the built environment matters for health?
It influences daily behaviors, determines environmental exposures, affects mental health,
influences social interaction and safety, and contributes to health inequalities.
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of a constant internal environment in the body despite external changes.
What are the three main conditions that the body keeps stable?
Internal body temperature, water levels in cells, and blood glucose concentration.
,What is the external environment?
The environment outside of the organism, including all biotic and abiotic components.
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living components of the environment, such as air, water, and temperature.
What are biotic factors?
Living components of the environment, including plants, animals, and microbes.
What are producers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that prepare their own food using inorganic materials and energy, such as
photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs.
What are consumers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that do not prepare their own food and rely on other organisms, including herbivores,
carnivores, and omnivores.
What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?
They break down organic compounds from producers and consumers, recycling nutrients back
into the ecosystem.
Why is water considered an essential abiotic factor?
All living organisms, including producers, consumers, and decomposers, need water for survival.
What is biodiversity?
The variety and variability of life on Earth, encompassing all living organisms.
What are the three main types of biodiversity?
Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
How does sunlight function in ecosystems?
It is the major source of energy required for photosynthesis in plants.
What impact does temperature variation have on ecosystems?
It affects the types of plants and animals that can survive in a given environment.
What is the significance of soil in the environment?
Soil is composed of rocks and decomposed organic matter, providing essential nutrients and
water for plants.
How does pH affect living organisms?
Variations in pH can disrupt the internal balance of organisms, affecting their survival.
,What is the relationship between humidity and internal balance in organisms?
Excess humidity can disrupt the internal balance, impacting organism health.
What is genetic diversity?
The variety of genes within a population, which increases the likelihood of individuals being
able to resist diseases and pests.
What is species diversity?
The variety of different species in a specific area, crucial for ecosystem stability and resilience.
What is ecosystem diversity?
The diversity of different ecosystems or habitats in a region, including forests, grasslands,
deserts, and wetlands.
What are the main reasons for biodiversity loss?
Habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation, climate change, and invasive species.
How does habitat destruction contribute to biodiversity loss?
It leads to loss of living space, fragmentation of habitats, reduced resources, and increased
human-wildlife conflict.
What is habitat fragmentation?
The process where large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, impacting
species survival.
How does pollution affect biodiversity?
It degrades habitats, introduces toxic substances, disrupts reproductive systems, and contributes
to climate change.
What is the impact of climate change on biodiversity?
It alters habitats, shifts species distribution, disrupts natural events, and increases the frequency
of extreme weather events.
What are the benefits of biodiversity?
Biodiversity provides nutritional, cultural, economic, health, and climate-related benefits
essential for ecosystem health.
What is the nutrient cycle?
A system where energy and matter are transferred between living organisms and non-living parts
of the environment.
What are the key nutrient cycles?
, Carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, and water cycle.
What is the carbon cycle?
The movement of carbon between the atmosphere, living organisms, oceans, and the Earth,
disrupted by human activities.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The process by which nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, water, and living organisms,
maintained by nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
What is the phosphorus cycle?
The movement of phosphorus through rocks, soil, water, and living organisms, where it is
absorbed by plants and returned to the soil.
What is Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)?
The negative effects of spending too little time outdoors, affecting physical, mental, and social
health, especially in children.
What are some physical health impacts of NDD?
Obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and poor physical fitness.
What are some mental health impacts of NDD?
Increased stress, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit.
What are some social/behavioral impacts of NDD?
Reduced creativity, problem-solving skills, and lower academic performance.
Name a technological factor contributing to NDD.
Digital devices.
What societal factor can lead to NDD?
Overscheduled lives.
How does climate change relate to NDD?
It contributes to the loss of natural spaces.
What are some short-term benefits of exposure to natural environments?
Reduces stress, depressive symptoms, restores attention, and improves mood.
How does long-term exposure to nature affect health?
It is associated with reduced mortality rates and improved respiratory and mental health.
What impact does childhood exposure to natural environments have?
VERIFIED ANSWERS
What does the term 'environment' broadly include?
Everything external to ourselves, including physical, natural, social, and behavioral
environments.
How does the impact of health vary with spatial scale?
Health impacts are greater at the household or community level and diminish in intensity as the
spatial scale increases.
What are considered the world's 'natural capital'?
Natural assets such as forests, rivers, soil, oceans, clean air, plants, and animals.
What is the difference between the natural and built environment?
The natural environment is non-humanmade, while the built environment is humanmade.
What components make up the natural environment?
Atmosphere, lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and biosphere (diversity of living things).
Why is a healthy natural environment important?
It is fundamental to the quality of life and wellbeing of people and integral to a strong economy.
What does the built environment include?
Neighborhoods, homes, workplaces, schools, shops, sidewalks, bike paths, streets, transit
networks, green spaces, parks, playgrounds, and buildings.
How does the built environment influence health?
It shapes the conditions in which people live, move, and interact, directly influencing physical
and mental wellbeing.
What are key reasons why the built environment matters for health?
It influences daily behaviors, determines environmental exposures, affects mental health,
influences social interaction and safety, and contributes to health inequalities.
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of a constant internal environment in the body despite external changes.
What are the three main conditions that the body keeps stable?
Internal body temperature, water levels in cells, and blood glucose concentration.
,What is the external environment?
The environment outside of the organism, including all biotic and abiotic components.
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living components of the environment, such as air, water, and temperature.
What are biotic factors?
Living components of the environment, including plants, animals, and microbes.
What are producers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that prepare their own food using inorganic materials and energy, such as
photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs.
What are consumers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that do not prepare their own food and rely on other organisms, including herbivores,
carnivores, and omnivores.
What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?
They break down organic compounds from producers and consumers, recycling nutrients back
into the ecosystem.
Why is water considered an essential abiotic factor?
All living organisms, including producers, consumers, and decomposers, need water for survival.
What is biodiversity?
The variety and variability of life on Earth, encompassing all living organisms.
What are the three main types of biodiversity?
Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
How does sunlight function in ecosystems?
It is the major source of energy required for photosynthesis in plants.
What impact does temperature variation have on ecosystems?
It affects the types of plants and animals that can survive in a given environment.
What is the significance of soil in the environment?
Soil is composed of rocks and decomposed organic matter, providing essential nutrients and
water for plants.
How does pH affect living organisms?
Variations in pH can disrupt the internal balance of organisms, affecting their survival.
,What is the relationship between humidity and internal balance in organisms?
Excess humidity can disrupt the internal balance, impacting organism health.
What is genetic diversity?
The variety of genes within a population, which increases the likelihood of individuals being
able to resist diseases and pests.
What is species diversity?
The variety of different species in a specific area, crucial for ecosystem stability and resilience.
What is ecosystem diversity?
The diversity of different ecosystems or habitats in a region, including forests, grasslands,
deserts, and wetlands.
What are the main reasons for biodiversity loss?
Habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation, climate change, and invasive species.
How does habitat destruction contribute to biodiversity loss?
It leads to loss of living space, fragmentation of habitats, reduced resources, and increased
human-wildlife conflict.
What is habitat fragmentation?
The process where large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, impacting
species survival.
How does pollution affect biodiversity?
It degrades habitats, introduces toxic substances, disrupts reproductive systems, and contributes
to climate change.
What is the impact of climate change on biodiversity?
It alters habitats, shifts species distribution, disrupts natural events, and increases the frequency
of extreme weather events.
What are the benefits of biodiversity?
Biodiversity provides nutritional, cultural, economic, health, and climate-related benefits
essential for ecosystem health.
What is the nutrient cycle?
A system where energy and matter are transferred between living organisms and non-living parts
of the environment.
What are the key nutrient cycles?
, Carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, and water cycle.
What is the carbon cycle?
The movement of carbon between the atmosphere, living organisms, oceans, and the Earth,
disrupted by human activities.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The process by which nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, water, and living organisms,
maintained by nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
What is the phosphorus cycle?
The movement of phosphorus through rocks, soil, water, and living organisms, where it is
absorbed by plants and returned to the soil.
What is Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)?
The negative effects of spending too little time outdoors, affecting physical, mental, and social
health, especially in children.
What are some physical health impacts of NDD?
Obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and poor physical fitness.
What are some mental health impacts of NDD?
Increased stress, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit.
What are some social/behavioral impacts of NDD?
Reduced creativity, problem-solving skills, and lower academic performance.
Name a technological factor contributing to NDD.
Digital devices.
What societal factor can lead to NDD?
Overscheduled lives.
How does climate change relate to NDD?
It contributes to the loss of natural spaces.
What are some short-term benefits of exposure to natural environments?
Reduces stress, depressive symptoms, restores attention, and improves mood.
How does long-term exposure to nature affect health?
It is associated with reduced mortality rates and improved respiratory and mental health.
What impact does childhood exposure to natural environments have?
