CHAPTER 1—HUMANS, GEOLOGY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which item listed below has not helped to increase the carrying capacity of the Earth?
a. the development of nitrogen-based fertilizers
b. the development and application of chemical pesticides
c. the development and application of chemical herbicides
d. genetic modification of grains and other crops
e. the development of a vaccine for polio
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
2. What is the population of the world likely to be by the year 2050?
a. 5 billion
b. 7 billion
c. 9 billion
d. 11 billion
e. 13 billion
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
3. Which of the following statements is true regarding the world population growth rate since 1965?
a. It has been increasing at an alarming rate.
b. It has been decreasing at an alarming rate.
c. It has been decreasing slowly.
d. It has been increasing slowly.
e. It has stayed the same.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
4. The IPAT equation is about which of the following?
a. earthquake prediction
b. global warming trends
c. inflation
d. environmental impact
e. slope stability
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
5. Which of the following is not true of environmental geology?
a. It is concerned with how natural geological processes affect man.
b. It is concerned largely with surface geologic processes.
c. It applies the science of geology to problems arising from the complex interactions of
water, soil, air, solid earth, and life.
d. It seeks ways for the Earth's inhabitants to interact safely with their geological
surroundings.
e. It is concerned with developing methods to prevent natural disasters from occurring.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Synthesis
, 6. The number of people or animals that can be supported indefinitely by a given area of land is
called ____.
a. carrying capacity
b. growth rate
c. doubling time
d. population dynamics
e. critical mass
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
7. A lack of understanding of which of the following phenomena will make things harder on the
entire population of your country – no matter where people live?
a. Earthquakes
b. Landslides
c. Volcanic eruptions.
d. Climate change
e. Tsunamis.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Application
8. Which of the following is NOT a variable in the IPAT equation?
a. impact
b. technology
c. natural resources
d. affluence
e. population
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Application
9. A population exceeding its carrying capacity is referred to as ____.
a. population dynamics
b. ecological overshoot
c. involutional melancholia
d. diminishing returns
e. negative feedback
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
10. ____ are far more readily modified and overturned than ____.
a. Hypotheses; laws
b. Laws; hypotheses
c. Theories; hypotheses
d. Hypotheses; theories
e. Laws; theories
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
,11. Which of the following would be the first step in applying the scientific method to an
environmental geological problem?
a. formulate a hypothesis
b. create a map
c. pose a question
d. draw a conclusion
e. analyze data
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
12. Which of the following is NOT something that is included on derivative maps?
a. landslide hazards zones
b. depth to underground water
c. areas susceptible to flooding
d. seismic hazard zones
e. All are included.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
13. What is the computer system that assembles, stores, manipulates, and displays geographic data
according to location?
a. GPS
b. GOP
c. GSA
d. GIS
e. GPA
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
14. What are lines of equal elevation called on topographic maps?
a. isotherms
b. contours
c. geological contacts
d. lineations
e. grid lines
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
15. How much greater are population growth rates in poorer countries than in richer countries?
a. two times
b. four times
c. six times
d. eight times
e. ten times
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
, 16. An environmental geologist could be expected to apply the scientific method to all of the
following questions EXCEPT:
a. Which public policy can best lower population growth rate?
b. Which regions in the United States have the lowest seismic risk?
c. How did the water supply to a community get contaminated?
d. Are the soils in a sub-development safe to build on?
e. What is the landslide potential of building a shopping mall outside a city?
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Application
17. Which of the following sustainable factors helped to save America's forests from destruction
during the 20th century?
a. conservation of forests by creation of the National Forest Service
b. technology driven mass production of construction materials from plastics
c. economic policies that allowed the importation of wood from tropical rainforests
d. conservation efforts that resulted in a reduction in the demand for wood products
e. overall decline in the United States population
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
18. In poorer countries, which part of the IPAT equation has the greatest impact?
a. population
b. affluence
c. technology
d. pollution
e. energy
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
19. Read carefully through the following sentence and decide which of the options is correct: In
industrialized countries, personal perspectives of environmental issues are realistic because
environmental problems develop close to home as resources are collected and used locally.
a. The word "realistic" should be replaced by "warped."
b. The word "industrialized" should be replaced by "developing."
c. The word "resources" should be replaced by "wastes."
d. The word "environmental" should be replaced by "geological."
e. The word "home" should be replaced by "rivers."
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
20. Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: The IPAT equation of human
environmental impact is a quantitative expression BECAUSE no one can put exact numbers to P,
A, and T.
a. The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid.
b. The assertion and the reason are both correct, but the reason is invalid.
c. The assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect.
d. The assertion is incorrect, but the reason is correct.
e. Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Evaluation
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which item listed below has not helped to increase the carrying capacity of the Earth?
a. the development of nitrogen-based fertilizers
b. the development and application of chemical pesticides
c. the development and application of chemical herbicides
d. genetic modification of grains and other crops
e. the development of a vaccine for polio
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
2. What is the population of the world likely to be by the year 2050?
a. 5 billion
b. 7 billion
c. 9 billion
d. 11 billion
e. 13 billion
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
3. Which of the following statements is true regarding the world population growth rate since 1965?
a. It has been increasing at an alarming rate.
b. It has been decreasing at an alarming rate.
c. It has been decreasing slowly.
d. It has been increasing slowly.
e. It has stayed the same.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
4. The IPAT equation is about which of the following?
a. earthquake prediction
b. global warming trends
c. inflation
d. environmental impact
e. slope stability
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
5. Which of the following is not true of environmental geology?
a. It is concerned with how natural geological processes affect man.
b. It is concerned largely with surface geologic processes.
c. It applies the science of geology to problems arising from the complex interactions of
water, soil, air, solid earth, and life.
d. It seeks ways for the Earth's inhabitants to interact safely with their geological
surroundings.
e. It is concerned with developing methods to prevent natural disasters from occurring.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Synthesis
, 6. The number of people or animals that can be supported indefinitely by a given area of land is
called ____.
a. carrying capacity
b. growth rate
c. doubling time
d. population dynamics
e. critical mass
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
7. A lack of understanding of which of the following phenomena will make things harder on the
entire population of your country – no matter where people live?
a. Earthquakes
b. Landslides
c. Volcanic eruptions.
d. Climate change
e. Tsunamis.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Application
8. Which of the following is NOT a variable in the IPAT equation?
a. impact
b. technology
c. natural resources
d. affluence
e. population
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Application
9. A population exceeding its carrying capacity is referred to as ____.
a. population dynamics
b. ecological overshoot
c. involutional melancholia
d. diminishing returns
e. negative feedback
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
10. ____ are far more readily modified and overturned than ____.
a. Hypotheses; laws
b. Laws; hypotheses
c. Theories; hypotheses
d. Hypotheses; theories
e. Laws; theories
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
,11. Which of the following would be the first step in applying the scientific method to an
environmental geological problem?
a. formulate a hypothesis
b. create a map
c. pose a question
d. draw a conclusion
e. analyze data
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
12. Which of the following is NOT something that is included on derivative maps?
a. landslide hazards zones
b. depth to underground water
c. areas susceptible to flooding
d. seismic hazard zones
e. All are included.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
13. What is the computer system that assembles, stores, manipulates, and displays geographic data
according to location?
a. GPS
b. GOP
c. GSA
d. GIS
e. GPA
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge
14. What are lines of equal elevation called on topographic maps?
a. isotherms
b. contours
c. geological contacts
d. lineations
e. grid lines
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
15. How much greater are population growth rates in poorer countries than in richer countries?
a. two times
b. four times
c. six times
d. eight times
e. ten times
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
, 16. An environmental geologist could be expected to apply the scientific method to all of the
following questions EXCEPT:
a. Which public policy can best lower population growth rate?
b. Which regions in the United States have the lowest seismic risk?
c. How did the water supply to a community get contaminated?
d. Are the soils in a sub-development safe to build on?
e. What is the landslide potential of building a shopping mall outside a city?
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Application
17. Which of the following sustainable factors helped to save America's forests from destruction
during the 20th century?
a. conservation of forests by creation of the National Forest Service
b. technology driven mass production of construction materials from plastics
c. economic policies that allowed the importation of wood from tropical rainforests
d. conservation efforts that resulted in a reduction in the demand for wood products
e. overall decline in the United States population
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
18. In poorer countries, which part of the IPAT equation has the greatest impact?
a. population
b. affluence
c. technology
d. pollution
e. energy
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Knowledge/Comprehension
19. Read carefully through the following sentence and decide which of the options is correct: In
industrialized countries, personal perspectives of environmental issues are realistic because
environmental problems develop close to home as resources are collected and used locally.
a. The word "realistic" should be replaced by "warped."
b. The word "industrialized" should be replaced by "developing."
c. The word "resources" should be replaced by "wastes."
d. The word "environmental" should be replaced by "geological."
e. The word "home" should be replaced by "rivers."
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Analysis
20. Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: The IPAT equation of human
environmental impact is a quantitative expression BECAUSE no one can put exact numbers to P,
A, and T.
a. The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid.
b. The assertion and the reason are both correct, but the reason is invalid.
c. The assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect.
d. The assertion is incorrect, but the reason is correct.
e. Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Evaluation
