AP Environmental Science Review Packet There are 300+ questions listed below. They cover just about everything there is in APES. There are a few areas we didn’t cover, but most of it we have. It’s not exactly in the same order that we covered in class, but it does have the same topics. Here’s your assignment: by Friday, May 4, write out answers to 130 or more of the questions of your choice – spread your selections through the list. You may type them or write them, but they must have the same question number shown here. It’s OK to work together to discover the answers, but if I find direct copies (word for word), no credit will be given, so don’t make a single set of answers and email it to the whole class! You can do more than 130, and I encourage you to, but there is no additional credit. Scoring Rubric: Questions completed Points 130+ 100 115-129 90 100-114 80 85-99 70 <85 69 Bogus answers will result in a 10 point decrease in your score.

Introduction and Environmental Ethics

1. What is environmental science and how it is different than environmentalism?

2. Compare renewable and nonrenewable resources. Give examples of each.

3. Who was Thomas Malthus? 4. Who was Paul Ehrlich? 5. Describe the theory of the tragedy of

the Commons and give real life examples.

6. What is an ecological footprint and how can scientists use this idea?

7. Describe the steps of the scientific method.

8. What is a scientific theory? Give one example.

9. Describe the idea of a paradigm shift. 10. What is sustainability? How does it

affect you personally? 11. Compare the ideas of

anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism

12. Who was Henry David Thoreau?

13. How are the ideas of John Muir different from those of Gifford Pinchot?

14. What is environmental justice? Give one example.

Environmental Policy

15. Describe the first wave of environmental policy in the US.

16. Describe the second wave of environmental policy in the US.

17. Describe the third wave of environmental policy in the US.

18. What are the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act?

19. What does the Environmental Protection Agency do?

20. What is a subsidy? 21. How are green taxes helpful? What

are their disadvantages? 22. Describe the idea of marketable

emissions permits, along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Basic Information

23. What is an element? Give some examples.

24. What is an atom? Describe the various parts.

25. What is a radioisotope? 26. Describe the concept of a half-life. 27. Give an example of a molecule and of

a compound. 28. Describe the 4 properties of water that

make it vital for life. 29. How is the pH scale determined? How

does it affect life? 30. What is energy? What is potential

energy? What is kinetic energy? What is chemical energy?

31. Using the analogy of a roller coaster, describe potential and kinetic energy.

32. Describe the first law of thermodynamics and give a real life example.

33. Describe the second law of thermodynamics and give a real life example.

34. Describe the process of photosynthesis.

35. Describe the cellular respiration. 36. Explain the heterotrophic hypothesis

for the origin of life. 37. Explain the extraterrestrial hypothesis

for the origin of life. 38. Explain the chemoautotrophic

hypothesis for the origin of life. 39. How do fossils show us about life’s

history?

Energy Information

40. What is a watt? 41. What is a joule? 42. What is a BTU? 43. What is a kilowatt-hour (KWh)? 44. How do you convert between the

different units in the metric system?

Evolution and Population Ecology

45. Describe the process of natural selection.

46. How do mutations affect the process of evolution?

47. How does evolution affect biodiversity?

48. Compare allopatric speciation to sympatric speciation.

49. Compare a community to a population of organisms.

50. Compare generalists and specialists? 51. What are a species’ population size,

density, and distribution? 52. How do age structure diagrams work? 53. Describe the 3 types of survivorship

curves. 54. Define natality, mortality, immigration,

and emigration 55. How do you calculate a population’s

growth rate? 56. What is exponential growth? Give

examples. 57. What is logistic growth? Give

examples. 58. Why is a population’s carrying

capacity important? How do limiting factors affect it?

59. Compare K-selected species and r-selected species. Give examples.

Species interactions

60. How does competition affect a species’ niche?

61. Describe the idea of predator-prey cycles.

62. Describe parasitism. Give examples. 63. What is mutualism? Give examples. 64. What is commensalism? Give an

example. 65. How does a producer make food? 66. Why is a decomposer valuable to an

ecosystem? 67. How is energy passed through trophic

levels? 68. Describe the idea of a keystone

species. Give examples. 69. Why does succession occur in an

ecosystem? 70. What is a biome? 71. How do climatographs help to

describe the different biomes? 72. Describe the following biomes:

a. temperate deciduous forest, b. temperate grassland, c. temperate rainforest, d. tropical rainforest,

e. tropical dry forest, f. savanna, g. desert, h. tundra, i. boreal, j. forest/taiga, k. chaparral

Environmental Systems

73. Describe the following parts of the Earth: lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

74. Compare gross primary productivity to net primary productivity.

75. How do humans affect the following biogeochemical cycles: carbon cycle, phosphorus cycle, nitrogen cycle, hydrologic cycle.

76. How does water get into an aquifer? 77. Describe how the following types of

rocks are formed: a. igneous rock, b. sedimentary rock, c. metamorphic rock.

78. Describe the theory of plate tectonics. 79. How do the different plate boundaries

shape the Earth’s features?

Human Population Growth

80. What type of growth is the human population experiencing worldwide?

81. How can age structure diagrams tell you about a country’s growth rate?

82. How is a country’s total fertility rate different that it’s replacement fertility rate?

83. Using the theory of demographic transitions, describe how the human population has changed over time.

84. Why do birth rates typically decrease slower than death rates?

85. How does female education affect a country’s growth rate?

86. How does poverty affect a country’s growth rate?

Soil and Agriculture

87. What is agriculture? 88. What is soil and how is it formed? 89. Compare traditional and industrialized

agriculture. 90. Describe the 3 types of weathering. 91. Describe a soil profile and the

different layers. 92. What is leaching?

93. Describe the 3 particle sizes of soil, and explain how to figure out a soil’s texture (the triangle)

94. How does erosion affect the soil? 95. What is desertification and how does

it occur? 96. Why was the Soil Conservation Act

passed? 97. Describe several ways that farmers

can reduce erosion. 98. How does irrigation affect the soil? 99. Compare and contrast inorganic and

organic fertilizers.

Modern Agriculture

100. Define food security. 101. What is malnutrition? 102. How has the green revolution

changed agriculture? 103. What is a pesticide? 104. How do pests evolve resistance to a

pesticide? 105. How is biological control used as an

alternative to pesticides? 106. Describe how Bacillus thuringiensis

(Bt) is used as a pesticide. 107. What is integrated pest management? 108. How do insects pollinate crops? 109. Describe the process of making

recombinant DNA. 110. How are genetically modified

organisms used in agriculture? 111. Give 3 examples of GM foods. 112. What are some problems with GM

foods? 113. What is a feedlot? Describe some

pros and cons. 114. What is aquaculture? Describe some

pros and cons. 115. Describe some classifications

necessary for organic agriculture.

Biodiversity and Conservation

116. What is biodiversity? 117. Why is genetic diversity important? 118. What is ecosystem diversity? 119. How do we measure biodiversity? 120. Why is biodiversity unevenly

distributed around the world? 121. Define extirpation. 122. What is the background rate of

extinction and why does it occur? 123. How many mass extinctions have

occurred in Earth’s history? 124. In your opinion, are we undergoing

the 6th mass extinction now?

125. Name and describe 5 causes of biodiversity loss.

126. What is an invasive species? Give two examples.

127. How does biodiversity increase ecosystem stability?

128. Explain how biodiversity can help the economy and agriculture.

129. What is conservation biology? 130. Explain the theory of island

biogeography. How does an island’s distance from the

131. mainland affect the diversity? How does the size affect it?

132. Define endangered species and threatened species, and give examples of each.

133. What provisions are in the Endangered Species Act?

134. What problems/opposition is there with this law?

135. How do captive breeding programs help endangered species?

136. How are endangered species umbrellas for threatened ecosystems?

137. Describe what the CITIES act is. 138. What is a biodiversity hotspot? 139. How does the US attempt to protect

biodiversity?

Resource Management, Forestry, Land Use, and Protected Areas

140. Describe the concept of maximum sustainable yield.

141. Compare and contrast ecosystem-based management and adaptive management.

142. Why are forests ecologically valuable? Why are they economically valuable?

143. Describe the causes of deforestation. 144. Why are there many second-growth

trees in the USA? 145. Describe the patterns of deforestation

in developing countries. 146. Explain the idea of plantation forestry. 147. Compare and contrast the methods of

clear-cutting, seed-tree, and selection systems.

148. Explain the US fire policy in national forests.

149. Why have wetlands been altered for farming?

150. Describe the effects of livestock grazing on the land.

151. Describe the qualities of a national park, a national wildlife refuge, a wilderness area

152. How can wildlife corridors help to extend parks?

Urbanization and Creating Livable Cities

153. Compare and contrast urban and suburban areas.

154. Why are urban areas growing?

155. Define urban sprawl. 156. Describe the pros and cons of urban

sprawl. 157. How can zoning make cities more

environmentally friendly? 158. Why are parks important parts of

cities? 159. How can the idea of smart growth

help to make cities environmentally friendly?

160. Describe several methods of transportation in cities.

161. Describe several good things about urbanization.

162. Describe several negatives to urbanization.

163. How can urban areas be built sustainabily?

Environmental Health and Toxicology

164. Describe physical hazards, chemical hazards, biological hazards, and cultural hazards to

165. human health. 166. What is an infectious disease? 167. Why are diseases parts of an

environmental discussion? 168. Describe several indoor health

hazards. 169. Define toxicity. 170. How did Silent Spring influence the

field of environmental toxicity? 171. Define the following toxicants and

give an example of each: carcinogen, mutagen,

172. teratogen, allergen, neurotoxin, and endocrine disruptor

173. Describe the idea of bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

174. Describe the effects of DDT biomagnification.

175. Describe the effects of mercury biomagnification.

176. How do we study the effects of toxicants on humans?

177. Describe the process of dose-response analysis.

178. What is the LD-50? How is it calculated?

179. Describe the idea of a threshold dose. 180. Compare and contrast acute and

chronic exposure to a toxicant. 181. Why is it useful to study synergistic

effects? 182. Why do scientists need to discuss the

risk assessment of a chemical? 183. Compare and contrast the innocent-

until-proven-guilty and the precautionary principle for new chemicals.

184. How does the EPA regulate pesticides?

185. How are toxicants regulated internationally?

Freshwater resources

186. How much of the Earth is freshwater? 187. Why is a wetland an important biome? 188. Describe how diversity changes

through the different layers of a lake. 189. How does irrigation affect our water

usage? 190. Why do cities divert surface water?

Give examples. 191. How do dikes and levees control

floods? 192. What are some benefits of dams?

What are some consequences? 193. Describe the benefits of desalination. 194. What are the consequences of

nutrient water pollution? 195. How do pathogens affect water

quality? 196. How does sediment affect water

quality? 197. Describe thermal pollution, and how it

affects ecosystems. 198. Why is groundwater pollution such a

large problem? 199. What provisions are in the Clean

Water Act?

Saltwater systems

200. How are ocean currents formed? 201. How do coral reefs benefit diversity? 202. Why is a mangrove forest a significant

biome? 203. How does marine pollution affect the

ecosystem? 204. Describe the effects of an oil spill. 205. How does overfishing affect the

oceans? 206. What is by-catch? 207. Describe the idea of maximum

sustainable yield. 208. How do marine reserves and marine

protected areas help to preserve diversity?

Atmospheric Science

209. Describe the levels of the atmosphere.

210. How are air currents formed? 211. What is the difference between

weather and climate? 212. Describe several natural sources of

air pollution. 213. How has the Clean Air Act affected air

pollution in the US? 214. How are the 6 criteria pollutants

made? 215. How is smog formed?

216. How are CFCs affecting the ozone layer?

217. How has the Montreal Protocol affected CFC levels?

218. How is acid rain formed? 219. What are some effects of acid rain? 220. What types of indoor air pollutants are

the most common? 221. How can we reduce indoor air

pollution?

Global Climate Change

222. Explain the greenhouse effect. 223. List several greenhouse gases. 224. Describe the effects of global warming

on the Earth 225. How do we know that global warming

has occurred in the past? 226. Explain both sides of the debate on

global warming. 227. Explain El Nino and how it has

changed due to global warming. 228. How can we reduce our output of

greenhouse gases? 229. Describe the Kyoto Protocol

Fossil Fuels: Energy and Impacts

230. What is a fossil fuel and how is it formed?

231. Describe the consumption patterns of fossil fuels for developed and developing nations.

232. Describe the major types of coal. 233. How is subsurface mining performed?

What are some of the benefits/problems?

234. How is strip mining performed? What are some of the benefits/problems?

235. What is crude oil and how is it formed?

236. How are oil and coal used to create electricity?

237. How do we extract oil? 238. What is offshore drilling? 239. How do we calculate how much of our

oil reserve is remaining? 240. What is Hubbert’s peak? 241. What is natural gas made of and how

is it formed? 242. How is natural gas extracted? 243. How do fossil fuels create air

pollution? 244. How does this pollution drive climate

change? 245. What is acid drainage? 246. How does mountaintop removal affect

the environment? 247. How does oil extraction alter the

environment?

248. What is ANWR? Describe the controversy involved in drilling for oil in ANWR.

249. How does oil affect nations’ economies?

Conventional Energy Alternatives

250. How is nuclear energy produced? 251. Describe the process of nuclear

fission. 252. Describe the roles of all parts of a

nuclear reactor. 253. What types of fuel are used in a

nuclear reactor? 254. How does the concept of a half-life

affect nuclear energy? 255. Describe the concept of nuclear

fusion. 256. Compare and contrast nuclear energy

and coal powered energy. 257. Explain what happened at Three Mile

Island. 258. Explain what happened at Chernobyl. 259. Waste disposal is a major issue in

nuclear energy. Explain the issue. 260. Why hasn’t nuclear power grown to

expected proportions? 261. Give several examples of biomass

energy. 262. How is biomass energy used in the

developing world? 263. How is ethanol used to power

automobiles? How does it affect the environment?

264. How is biodiesel used to power automobiles? How does it affect the environment?

265. Describe why it is beneficial to combine coal with biomass to create electricity?

266. Describe the environmental benefits from biomass energy.

267. Describe the economic benefits from biomass energy.

268. Describe the consequences to biomass energy.

269. How are dams used to create electricity?

270. Describe the environmental benefits to hydroelectric power.

271. Describe the environmental negatives to hydroelectric power.

272. Why is the extent of hydroelectric power limited?

New Renewable Energy Alternatives

273. Describe the current trends of renewable energy usage.

274. Compare and contrast passive and active solar energy.

275. How do solar panels create energy for human use?

276. How do photovoltaic cells work? 277. Describe the benefits and drawbacks

of solar power. 278. How do wind turbines create

electricity? 279. Why are offshore sites a good option

for wind farms? 280. Describe the benefits of wind power. 281. Describe the drawbacks to wind

power. 282. How is geothermal energy formed? 283. How is geothermal energy used to

create electricity? 284. Describe the benefits to geothermal

energy. 285. Why is geothermal energy limited in

scope? 286. How are tidal dams used, and what

are their limitations? 287. How can ocean thermal energy be

used by humans? 288. How is hydrogen fuel created? 289. How do hydrogen fuel cells work? 290. How can algae be used as a fuel

source? 291. Describe the benefits of hydrogen fuel

cells?

Waste Management

292. What is the difference between municipal solid waste and industrial solid waste?

293. Where does most MSW come from in the USA?

294. Why has per capita waste generation leveled off in the USA in recent years?

295. Describe a sanitary landfill. 296. What is the Resource Conservation

and Recovery Act (RCRA)? 297. What can we do with landfills after

they are closed? 298. Describe the negative aspects to

landfills. 299. Describe the pros and cons of

incinerating trash. 300. How can incinerators or landfills be

used to produce electricity? 301. Describe examples of how we can

reuse products to reduce waste. 302. What is compost? 303. Describe the three steps involved in

recycling. 304. How have “pay-as-you-go programs”

helped to reduce waste? 305. How have “bottle bills” helped to

reduce waste? 306. What are the criteria for hazardous

waste?

307. Why are heavy metals especially toxic?

308. How are landfills used to dispose of hazardous wastes?

309. How are surface impoundments used to dispose of hazardous wastes?

310. How is deep well injection used to dispose of hazardous wastes?

311. Why is e-waste an important new development in hazardous waste problems?

312. How is the Superfund law applicable to hazardous waste?

Sustainable Solutions

313. List and describe some of the approaches taken towards sustainability in towns, on college campuses, or other locations.

314. How can environmental protection enhance economic opportunity?

315. List and describe several ways that humans can live more sustainably.

316. What is the best way to assure the continued survival of a threatened or endangered species?