AP Environmental Science Full-length practice exam 2

LED lighting is more energy efficient than incandescent lighting primarily because:

Particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is considered more dangerous to human health than PM₁₀ primarily because:

Which conservation strategy is most likely to protect the greatest number of species across a landscape?

Which of the following best explains why the leeward (rain shadow) side of a mountain range is typically drier than the windward side?

Soil erosion is accelerated by all of the following EXCEPT:

In a grassland ecosystem, grass produces 8,000 kcal/m²/yr. Grasshoppers consume the grass and assimilate 800 kcal/m²/yr. What is the ecological efficiency of energy transfer from grass to grasshoppers?

A forest has GPP of 2,000 g C/m²/yr and plant respiration of 800 g C/m²/yr. What is the NPP available to consumers?

The horizon sequence O-A-B-C describes a soil profile. Which horizon is most important for plant growth and contains the highest concentration of organic matter?

A scientist measures the amount of carbon dioxide fixed by phytoplankton in a lake over one year and reports 500 g C/m²/yr. This figure represents the lake's:

A population of 200 squirrels lives in a woodland. Ecologists estimate the carrying capacity of that woodland at 400 squirrels. Using logistic growth, at what population size would the growth rate be at its maximum?

A population of 500 deer occupies a 50 km² forest. Biologists find 40 births and 20 deaths in one year, with 5 deer immigrating and 10 emigrating. What is the net change in the population over the year?

The difference between tropospheric ozone (bad) and stratospheric ozone (good) is primarily:

Microplastics in marine environments pose ecological threats because they:

A coal-fired power plant converts chemical energy in coal to electricity with an efficiency of 35%. If the plant consumes 1,000 kJ of energy from coal, how much electrical energy is delivered to the grid?

Acid rain forms when _____ and _____ react with water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid.

Methylmercury in aquatic systems is most hazardous to organisms at the top of the food chain because of:

Which type of rock forms from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?

According to the species-area relationship, if an island's area is reduced by 90%, approximately what fraction of its species are expected to survive?

Which of the following best describes the environmental impact of large-scale irrigation from surface water sources like rivers?

An age structure diagram (population pyramid) showing a very wide base (large proportion of young people) and narrow top (few elderly) indicates that the population will:

Deforestation of a watershed causes increased sediment runoff into a nearby river. Which biogeochemical cycle is MOST directly disrupted by the loss of plant root systems holding the soil?

Industrial monoculture agriculture maximizes yield per acre by growing a single crop variety across large areas. Which of the following is a significant environmental drawback of this approach?

Which waste management strategy is HIGHEST on the preferred waste management hierarchy (reduces the most environmental impact)?

A city's sewage treatment plant discharges treated effluent into a river. Primary treatment removes ___; secondary treatment removes ___.

A small island 500 km from the mainland has fewer bird species than an equally sized island located 50 km from the mainland. This pattern is best explained by:

Carbon monoxide (CO) is toxic to humans primarily because it:

Geothermal energy for electricity generation is most viable in which locations?

Which of the following is a characteristic shared by ALL fossil fuels?

Stratospheric ozone is depleted by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Which chemical process explains how a single CFC molecule can destroy thousands of ozone molecules?

Indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air quality in developed countries. Which of the following is a common source of formaldehyde, a significant indoor air pollutant?

Which renewable energy source provides the MOST electricity globally and domestically in the United States as of recent years?

Tropical rainforests cover ~6% of Earth's land surface but contain an estimated 50–80% of all terrestrial species. The primary reason for this extraordinary species richness is:

The Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970 and its amendments established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six 'criteria pollutants.' Which of the following is correctly identified as a criteria pollutant?

In the carbon cycle, which human activity has contributed most to increased atmospheric CO₂ concentrations since the Industrial Revolution?

A tropical rainforest is cleared and replaced by a crop monoculture. Which type of biodiversity loss occurs FIRST and MOST directly?

A coral reef ecosystem provides habitat for hundreds of fish species and protects coastlines from wave erosion. Which pair of ecosystem service categories does this represent?

A population of 1,000 rabbits grows at an annual rate of 3.5%. Using the Rule of 70, approximately how many years will it take for the population to double?

Photochemical smog forms most intensively on hot, sunny, calm days in urban areas. Which pair of precursor pollutants are MOST directly responsible for initiating the formation of ground-level ozone in smog?

The water cycle returns precipitation to the atmosphere through two main processes from the land surface. Which pair correctly names these processes?

A farmer applies excess nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer to fields near a lake. After a heavy rain, runoff enters the lake. Over the following weeks, which sequence of events is most likely to occur?

A food chain shows: phytoplankton → zooplankton → small fish → tuna. If phytoplankton store 100,000 kcal of energy, approximately how many kcal are available at the tuna level (assuming 10% efficiency at each step)?

Dandelions produce thousands of lightweight seeds and have short life spans, reaching maturity quickly. This reproductive strategy classifies them as:

The tropical rainforest, coral reef, and Mediterranean shrubland are all considered biodiversity hotspots. What TWO criteria define a biodiversity hotspot?

The 'tragedy of the commons' concept, as applied to fisheries, predicts that:

Strip mining for coal removes entire hillsides of overburden to access coal seams near the surface. The most significant long-term water quality problem associated with strip mining is:

Positive feedback loops amplify the initial effect of climate warming. Which of the following is an example of a positive climate feedback?

A population that initially grows slowly, then rapidly, then slows again as it approaches the environment's carrying capacity (K), is exhibiting:

The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards regulate which aspect of energy use in the United States?

During an El Niño event, which of the following patterns is observed in the Pacific Ocean?

Radon gas is an indoor air pollutant that poses a risk of which disease?

A major environmental concern specific to nuclear power plants is:

Rising global temperatures are shifting the geographic ranges of many species poleward and to higher elevations. A species living on a mountaintop that cannot move higher as temperatures rise faces:

Methane (CH₄) contributes to global warming despite being present at far lower atmospheric concentrations than CO₂. The reason methane is such a significant greenhouse gas concern is that:

A valley along the California coast experiences frequent morning fog that burns off by midday, mild temperatures year-round, wet winters, and dry summers. This climate pattern is characteristic of a:

Ice core data from Antarctica and Greenland are used as evidence for past climate change. What property of ice cores provides the most direct record of past atmospheric CO₂ concentrations?

Which of the following is an example of a regulating ecosystem service?

Ecological succession on a newly formed volcanic island begins with:

The Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989) and Deepwater Horizon spill (2010) differed in that Deepwater Horizon released oil:

During a temperature inversion, a layer of warm air traps cooler air (and pollutants) near the ground. This situation most directly worsens which air pollution problem?

A river downstream of a cattle feedlot shows high concentrations of nitrates, fecal coliform bacteria, and ammonia. Which source category best describes this pollution?

Nuclear fission power plants and coal-fired power plants share which fundamental similarity in how they generate electricity?

A population of cheetahs shows very little variation in immune system genes, making them highly susceptible to the same diseases. This problem illustrates a loss of:

Lead contamination in drinking water systems (e.g., Flint, Michigan crisis) most commonly enters drinking water through:

Superfund (CERCLA) sites are designated locations where:

During the nitrogen cycle, which process converts nitrate (NO₃⁻) in waterlogged soils back into atmospheric nitrogen gas (N₂)?

Which biome has the highest net primary productivity per unit area?

The Coriolis effect influences atmospheric circulation by causing winds in the Northern Hemisphere to deflect:

In the context of Earth's energy budget, what is the greenhouse effect?

The maximum amount of fish that can be harvested from a fishery without causing long-term population decline is called the:

Clear-cutting a tropical forest for cattle ranching causes which of the following environmental consequences MOST directly?

Country X has high birth rates, high death rates, and a young population with rapid growth. Country Y has low birth rates, low death rates, and a stable or slightly declining population. According to the demographic transition model, Country X is in _______ and Country Y is in _______.

A homeowner installs solar panels (photovoltaic cells) on their rooftop. Which of the following accurately describes how they generate electricity?

La Niña conditions are characterized by which oceanic and atmospheric pattern in the Pacific?

Which of the following best describes the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of a water sample?

A conservation biologist studying wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone observed that elk began avoiding stream banks, allowing willows and aspens to recover. This ripple effect through the ecosystem is an example of:

An invasive species is introduced to a new habitat. Which combination of factors MOST typically explains its population explosion in the new environment?

The Ogallala Aquifer underlies much of the U.S. Great Plains and is used for agricultural irrigation. It is being depleted at a rate 10–40 times faster than natural recharge. This situation is an example of:

The concept of carbon sequestration refers to:

The phosphorus cycle differs from the carbon and nitrogen cycles primarily because phosphorus:

Biomass energy (e.g., burning wood, crop residues, or biofuels) is sometimes considered 'carbon neutral.' This claim assumes that: