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AP Environmental Science Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

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Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

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Question 1

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

A.Natural bedrock dissolution as water flows through lead-bearing rock formationsB.Leaching from lead service lines, lead solder in plumbing, and lead paint dust in old buildingsC.Industrial discharge of lead directly into municipal water treatment plantsD.Atmospheric deposition of leaded gasoline combustion residues into reservoirs

Question 2

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

A.Point source pollutionB.Nonpoint source pollutionC.Thermal pollution from feedlot operationsD.Natural background pollution from wildlife fecal matter

Question 3

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

A.From a surface tanker, making containment and skimming easier than a deepwater blowoutB.From a subsurface wellhead (~1,500 m below sea surface), making containment far more difficult than a surface spillC.In an arctic environment where cold temperatures accelerated biodegradationD.Only refined petroleum products, which are less toxic to wildlife than crude oil

Question 4

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

A.Landfilling with methane captureB.RecyclingC.Source reduction (preventing waste generation)D.Incineration with energy recovery

Question 5

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.Algae die → bacteria decompose algae → oxygen levels rise → fish thriveB.Algal bloom → algae die → bacterial decomposition → oxygen depletion (hypoxia) → fish killsC.Nitrogen directly toxifies fish before algae can growD.Phosphorus precipitates out immediately, preventing algal growth

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Question 6

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

A.Bioaccumulation: mercury accumulates in individual organisms that cannot excrete itB.Biomagnification: mercury concentration multiplies at each trophic level, reaching dangerous levels in top predatorsC.Bioavailability: mercury dissolves better in saltwater near the ocean surface, concentrating in large marine predatorsD.Biodegradation: top predators cannot break down mercury, while lower organisms can metabolize it safely

Question 7

DDT was banned in the United States in 1972 primarily due to evidence that it:

A.Was acutely toxic to humans at typical agricultural application concentrationsB.Bioaccumulated and biomagnified through food chains, causing eggshell thinning in raptors and population crashes in birds of preyC.Directly caused acid rain by reacting with sulfur in the atmosphereD.Destroyed stratospheric ozone by releasing chlorine radicals when photolyzed

Question 8

Microplastics in marine environments pose ecological threats because they:

A.Dissolve in seawater and release chlorine, which acidifies the oceanB.Are ingested by marine organisms, causing physical harm and acting as vectors for toxic chemicalsC.Block sunlight from reaching phytoplankton, reducing ocean primary productivity globallyD.React with saltwater to form phthalate acids that kill coral reefs

Question 9

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

A.Dissolved nutrients (N, P); large solids and debrisB.Large solids and settleable materials; dissolved organic matter via biological treatmentC.Disease-causing pathogens; heavy metals from industrial wastewaterD.Heavy metals; nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients

Question 10

Solid waste in landfills undergoes anaerobic decomposition that produces:

A.Primarily CO₂ and water through aerobic respirationB.Landfill gas containing ~50% methane (CH₄) and ~50% CO₂C.Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas as the primary emissionD.Nitrous oxide (N₂O) as the dominant greenhouse gas from decomposition

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Question 11

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

A.The total concentration of dissolved oxygen present in the waterB.The amount of oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic matter in the waterC.The concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus needed for aquatic plant growthD.The rate at which oxygen is produced by algae and aquatic plants through photosynthesis

Question 12

Superfund (CERCLA) sites are designated locations where:

A.Renewable energy facilities are built on abandoned landB.Hazardous substances have been released and require federally mandated remediationC.Nuclear power plants are sited to ensure proximity to cooling water sourcesD.Municipal solid waste landfills operate under strict modern containment standards

AP Environmental Science Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution — Free with Answer Explanations | Test Practice Hub