GRCC BI 118 Exam Questions and Answers Fully Solved Latest Update 2025-2026
What is environmental science? - Answers a study of connections in the natural environment nature and
is interdisciplinary.
What is the environment? - Answers It is everything around us including energy, living, and nonliving
organisms
What are the different factors/ components that make environmental solutions so hard to make? -
Answers the triple bottom line
ecology
profit
social factors
What makes environmental science different from the study of ecology? - Answers environmental
science is interdisciplinary and is human centered. While ecology studies ecosystems and how organisms
within those ecosystems interact.
What makes environmental science different from environmentalism? - Answers environmental science
is based on facts and science while environmentalism is more so based on emotion.
What is the PRP model and what data supports it and what data disputes it? - Answers Growth in human
population
Increased resource use
more pollution/ environmental degradation
The US has around 4.5% of the worlds population but contributes a lot more than other nations
pollution wise.
How is the earth organized? - Answers Atmosphere- air
Lithosphere- land
Hydrosphere- water
Ecosphere- life
Define the biosphere - Answers the area of the Earth that sustains life
Life that exists on Earth
1. energy dependent (SUN)
, 2. self-sustaining
3. mostly closed to outside influences
4. balanced/steady state
5. system
Is energy recycled within an ecosystem? - Answers no
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution has the total amount of matter in the biosphere a)
increased b) decreased 3) stayed the same - Answers stayed the same
What are the 4 parts (spheres) of the biosphere? - Answers atmosphere- air
lithosphere- land
hydrosphere- water
ecosphere- life
What percent of the solar energy that enters our biosphere is eventually returned to space as heat
energy? - Answers
Is energy that escapes back out to space recycled (energy is neither created or destroyed)? - Answers no
Are habitats and ecosystems functionally the same thing? - Answers habitats are where group of
organism live and ecosystems are groups of habitats.
How are ecosystems and the biosphere different and/or the same? - Answers both are open to energy,
while ecosystems are somewhat open to matter.
What is exchanged among species within an ecosystem (matter, energy, etc)? - Answers Matter is
exchange and rec
What is recycled among species within an ecosystem (matter, energy, etc.)? - Answers both energy and
matter are exchange between organisms within an ecosystem.
Energy comes from the sun, where does matter come from and where does it go? - Answers Matter is
only recycled with the biosphere.
Understand the krill story as an example of food webs! - Answers Krill are little fish that feed off of
diatoms and pythoplankton. They are the base for the majority of the ocean ecosystem.
Know the Triple Bottom Line and where it fits in with the topics covered. - Answers profit
ecology
social factors
What is environmental science? - Answers a study of connections in the natural environment nature and
is interdisciplinary.
What is the environment? - Answers It is everything around us including energy, living, and nonliving
organisms
What are the different factors/ components that make environmental solutions so hard to make? -
Answers the triple bottom line
ecology
profit
social factors
What makes environmental science different from the study of ecology? - Answers environmental
science is interdisciplinary and is human centered. While ecology studies ecosystems and how organisms
within those ecosystems interact.
What makes environmental science different from environmentalism? - Answers environmental science
is based on facts and science while environmentalism is more so based on emotion.
What is the PRP model and what data supports it and what data disputes it? - Answers Growth in human
population
Increased resource use
more pollution/ environmental degradation
The US has around 4.5% of the worlds population but contributes a lot more than other nations
pollution wise.
How is the earth organized? - Answers Atmosphere- air
Lithosphere- land
Hydrosphere- water
Ecosphere- life
Define the biosphere - Answers the area of the Earth that sustains life
Life that exists on Earth
1. energy dependent (SUN)
, 2. self-sustaining
3. mostly closed to outside influences
4. balanced/steady state
5. system
Is energy recycled within an ecosystem? - Answers no
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution has the total amount of matter in the biosphere a)
increased b) decreased 3) stayed the same - Answers stayed the same
What are the 4 parts (spheres) of the biosphere? - Answers atmosphere- air
lithosphere- land
hydrosphere- water
ecosphere- life
What percent of the solar energy that enters our biosphere is eventually returned to space as heat
energy? - Answers
Is energy that escapes back out to space recycled (energy is neither created or destroyed)? - Answers no
Are habitats and ecosystems functionally the same thing? - Answers habitats are where group of
organism live and ecosystems are groups of habitats.
How are ecosystems and the biosphere different and/or the same? - Answers both are open to energy,
while ecosystems are somewhat open to matter.
What is exchanged among species within an ecosystem (matter, energy, etc)? - Answers Matter is
exchange and rec
What is recycled among species within an ecosystem (matter, energy, etc.)? - Answers both energy and
matter are exchange between organisms within an ecosystem.
Energy comes from the sun, where does matter come from and where does it go? - Answers Matter is
only recycled with the biosphere.
Understand the krill story as an example of food webs! - Answers Krill are little fish that feed off of
diatoms and pythoplankton. They are the base for the majority of the ocean ecosystem.
Know the Triple Bottom Line and where it fits in with the topics covered. - Answers profit
ecology
social factors
