CHAPTER 1
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following events has increased the impact of humans on the
environment?
I Advances in technology
II Reduced human population growth
III Use of tools for hunting
(a) I only
(b) I and II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I and III only
(e) I, II, and III
2. As described in this chapter, environmental indicators
(a) always tell us what is causing an environmental change.
(b) can be used to analyze the health of natural systems.
(c) are useful only when studying large-scale changes.
(d) do not provide information regarding sustainability.
(e) take into account only the living components of ecosystems.
3. Which statement regarding a global environmental indicator is not correct?
(a) Concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been rising quite
steadily since the Industrial Revolution.
(b) World grain production has increased fairly steadily since 1950, but
worldwide production of grain per capita has decreased dramatically over the same period.
(c) For the past 130 years, average global surface temperatures have shown an
overall increase that seems likely to continue.
(d) World population is expected to be between 8.1 billion and 9.6 billion by
2050.
, (e) Some natural resources are available in finite amounts and are consumed
during a one-time use, whereas other finite resources can be used multiple times through
recycling.
4. Figure 1.8 (on page 10) shows atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over
time. The measured concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is an example of
(a) a sample of air from over the Antarctic.
(b) an environmental indicator.
(c) replicate sampling.
(d) calculating an ecological footprint.
(e) how to study seasonal variation in Earth’s temperatures.
5. In science, which of the following is the most certain?
(a) Hypothesis
(b) Idea
(c) Natural law
(d) Observation
(e) Theory
6. All of the following would be exclusively caused by anthropogenic activities except
(a) combustion of fossil fuels.
(b) overuse of resources such as uranium.
(c) forest clearing for crops.
(d) air pollution from burning oil.
(e) forest fires.
7. Use Figure 1.6 (on page 9) to calculate the approximate rate of change in world
grain production per person between 1950 and 2000.
(a) 10 percent
(b) 20 percent
(c) 30 percent
(d) 40 percent
, (e) 50 percent
8. The populations of some endangered animal species have stabilized or increased in
numbers after human intervention. An example of a species that is still endangered and
needs further assistance to recover is the
(a) American bison.
(b) peregrine falcon.
(c) bald eagle.
(d) American alligator.
(e) snow leopard.
Questions 9 and 10 refer to the following experimental scenario:
An experiment was performed to determine the effect of caffeine on the pulse rate
of five healthy 18-year-old males. Each was given 250 mL of a beverage with or without
caffeine. The men had their pulse rates measured before they had the drink (time 0
minutes) and again after they had been sitting at rest for 30 minutes after consuming the
drink. The results are shown in the following table.
Subject Beverage Caffeine content Pulse rate Pulse
rate
(mg/serving) 0 minutes 30
minutes
1 Water 0 60
59
2 Caffeine-free soda 0 55
56
3 Caffeinated soda 10 58
68
4 Coffee, decaffeinated 3 62
67
5 Coffee, regular 45 58 81
9. Before the researchers began the experiment, they formulated a null hypothesis.
The best null hypothesis for the experiment would be that caffeine
(a) has no observable effect on the pulse rate of an individual.
, (b) will increase the pulse rates of all test subjects.
(c) will decrease the pulse rates of all test subjects.
(d) has no observable effects on the pulse rates of 18-year-old males.
(e) from a soda will have a greater effect on pulse rates than caffeine from
coffee.
10. After analyzing the results of the experiment, the most appropriate conclusion
would be that caffeine
(a) increased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.
(b) decreased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.
(c) will increase the pulse rate of any individual that is tested.
(d) increases the pulse rate and is safe to consume.
(e) makes drinks better than decaffeinated beverages.
FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
1. Your neighbor has fertilized her lawn. Several weeks later, she is alarmed to see that
the surface of her ornamental pond, which sits at the bottom of the sloping lawn, is covered
with a green layer of algae.
(a) Suggest a feasible explanation for the algal bloom in the pond. (2 points)
It is most likely that too much fertilizer was applied to the
lawn. When it rained, some of the run-off flowed down the
sloping lawn and entered the ornamental pond. This increased
the nutrient supply in the pond and resulted in an algal bloom
a few weeks later.
(b) Design an experiment that would enable you to validate your explanation. (7
points) Include and label in your answer:
(i) a testable hypothesis. (2 points)
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following events has increased the impact of humans on the
environment?
I Advances in technology
II Reduced human population growth
III Use of tools for hunting
(a) I only
(b) I and II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I and III only
(e) I, II, and III
2. As described in this chapter, environmental indicators
(a) always tell us what is causing an environmental change.
(b) can be used to analyze the health of natural systems.
(c) are useful only when studying large-scale changes.
(d) do not provide information regarding sustainability.
(e) take into account only the living components of ecosystems.
3. Which statement regarding a global environmental indicator is not correct?
(a) Concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been rising quite
steadily since the Industrial Revolution.
(b) World grain production has increased fairly steadily since 1950, but
worldwide production of grain per capita has decreased dramatically over the same period.
(c) For the past 130 years, average global surface temperatures have shown an
overall increase that seems likely to continue.
(d) World population is expected to be between 8.1 billion and 9.6 billion by
2050.
, (e) Some natural resources are available in finite amounts and are consumed
during a one-time use, whereas other finite resources can be used multiple times through
recycling.
4. Figure 1.8 (on page 10) shows atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over
time. The measured concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is an example of
(a) a sample of air from over the Antarctic.
(b) an environmental indicator.
(c) replicate sampling.
(d) calculating an ecological footprint.
(e) how to study seasonal variation in Earth’s temperatures.
5. In science, which of the following is the most certain?
(a) Hypothesis
(b) Idea
(c) Natural law
(d) Observation
(e) Theory
6. All of the following would be exclusively caused by anthropogenic activities except
(a) combustion of fossil fuels.
(b) overuse of resources such as uranium.
(c) forest clearing for crops.
(d) air pollution from burning oil.
(e) forest fires.
7. Use Figure 1.6 (on page 9) to calculate the approximate rate of change in world
grain production per person between 1950 and 2000.
(a) 10 percent
(b) 20 percent
(c) 30 percent
(d) 40 percent
, (e) 50 percent
8. The populations of some endangered animal species have stabilized or increased in
numbers after human intervention. An example of a species that is still endangered and
needs further assistance to recover is the
(a) American bison.
(b) peregrine falcon.
(c) bald eagle.
(d) American alligator.
(e) snow leopard.
Questions 9 and 10 refer to the following experimental scenario:
An experiment was performed to determine the effect of caffeine on the pulse rate
of five healthy 18-year-old males. Each was given 250 mL of a beverage with or without
caffeine. The men had their pulse rates measured before they had the drink (time 0
minutes) and again after they had been sitting at rest for 30 minutes after consuming the
drink. The results are shown in the following table.
Subject Beverage Caffeine content Pulse rate Pulse
rate
(mg/serving) 0 minutes 30
minutes
1 Water 0 60
59
2 Caffeine-free soda 0 55
56
3 Caffeinated soda 10 58
68
4 Coffee, decaffeinated 3 62
67
5 Coffee, regular 45 58 81
9. Before the researchers began the experiment, they formulated a null hypothesis.
The best null hypothesis for the experiment would be that caffeine
(a) has no observable effect on the pulse rate of an individual.
, (b) will increase the pulse rates of all test subjects.
(c) will decrease the pulse rates of all test subjects.
(d) has no observable effects on the pulse rates of 18-year-old males.
(e) from a soda will have a greater effect on pulse rates than caffeine from
coffee.
10. After analyzing the results of the experiment, the most appropriate conclusion
would be that caffeine
(a) increased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.
(b) decreased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.
(c) will increase the pulse rate of any individual that is tested.
(d) increases the pulse rate and is safe to consume.
(e) makes drinks better than decaffeinated beverages.
FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
1. Your neighbor has fertilized her lawn. Several weeks later, she is alarmed to see that
the surface of her ornamental pond, which sits at the bottom of the sloping lawn, is covered
with a green layer of algae.
(a) Suggest a feasible explanation for the algal bloom in the pond. (2 points)
It is most likely that too much fertilizer was applied to the
lawn. When it rained, some of the run-off flowed down the
sloping lawn and entered the ornamental pond. This increased
the nutrient supply in the pond and resulted in an algal bloom
a few weeks later.
(b) Design an experiment that would enable you to validate your explanation. (7
points) Include and label in your answer:
(i) a testable hypothesis. (2 points)
