Essential Environment: The Science Behind the Stories, 7th Edition by Jay H. Withgott & Matthew Laposata – Study Guide and Summary Notes

TEST BANK FOR
Essential Environment The Science Behind the Stories, 7th edition Jay

H Withgott Matthew Laposata
Chapter 1-18

Chapter 1 Science and Sustainability: An Introduction to Environmental Science

1.1 Multiple Choice Questions




Use the figure above to answer the following question(s).

1) How many citizens of Mexico does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the
average citizen of the United States?
A) They are essentially equal.
B) It takes just over two Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
C) It takes just over three Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
D) It takes just over eight Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
E) It takes about 12 Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S.
1
Copyright © 2025 Pearson Education, Inc.

,citizen.




2
Copyright © 2025 Pearson Education, Inc.

,Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4

2) If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of
the United States, then .
A) we would have 50% more food to go around
B) we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty by using the 50% of
the land currently not being used for agriculture
C) we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone
D) we could support 50% more people on our planet
E) about 50% of the people would starve
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4

3) The U.S. average footprint is about times larger than the average world
footprint.
A) 2
B) 2.5
C) 3
D) 5
E) 6.7
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4

4) The average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.6 since 2008, and the
footprints of many developing nations, such as India and China, have also increased.
This means that .
A) our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before
B) our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before
C) the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased
D) some nations no longer have a measurable footprint
E) the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4

5) Geothermal energy, wind, and solar radiation are all examples of .
A) nonrenewable natural resources
B) inexhaustible renewable natural resources
3
Copyright © 2025 Pearson Education, Inc.

, C) biotic environmental factors
D) exhaustible renewable natural resources
E) biodegradable materials
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2

6) Nonrenewable natural resources include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) coal.
B) crude oil.
C) minerals.
D) wind.
E) natural gas.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2

7) Ecosystem services .
A) contribute to keeping ecosystems productive
B) are not necessary to sustainable systems
C) are economically valuable services provided by natural systems
D) are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems
E) are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2

8) Today (2024), there are about .
A) 5.35 billion people on Earth, the same as for the past 6 years
B) 9 billion people on Earth
C) 10 billion people on Earth
D) 8 billion people on Earth
E) 2% fewer people on Earth than in 2010
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3

9) Global population is projected to be nearly in 2050.
A) 7 billion
B) 8 billion
C) 9 billion
D) 10 billion
4
Copyright © 2025 Pearson Education, Inc.