AP Environmental Science & Ecology 3

Question 1

The stratospheric ozone layer is critical for life on Earth primarily because it:

Accepted Answer

Absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation

Answer

Reflects infrared radiation back to Earth's surface

Answer

Produces oxygen through photosynthesis

Answer

Regulates global average temperatures

Question 2

Which of the following energy sources is best classified as renewable?

Accepted Answer

Wind energy

Answer

Natural gas

Answer

Coal

Answer

Nuclear fission

Question 3

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Assess and synthesize scientific research on climate change for policymakers

Answer

Create binding international environmental laws

Answer

Enforce the terms of the Paris Climate Agreement

Answer

Manage and regulate international carbon markets

Question 4

Among human activities, which factor is considered the leading global cause of species extinction today?

Accepted Answer

Habitat destruction and fragmentation

Answer

Hunting and poaching

Answer

Introduction of invasive species

Answer

Direct effects of climate change

Question 5

An ecological footprint is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

The amount of biologically productive land and water required to support a population's resource use and absorb its waste

Answer

The total area of land physically disturbed by human construction

Answer

The average carbon emissions produced per person annually

Answer

The number of species displaced by a given population

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a negative feedback loop in the climate system?

Accepted Answer

Higher CO2 stimulates plant growth, which absorbs more CO2

Answer

Melting sea ice reduces albedo, causing further warming

Answer

Warming permafrost releases methane, further increasing temperatures

Answer

Warmer oceans increase water vapor, amplifying the greenhouse effect

Question 7

Garrett Hardin's concept of the 'tragedy of the commons' explains environmental overexploitation because:

Accepted Answer

Individuals overuse shared resources because personal benefits are immediate while costs are distributed among all users

Answer

Common resources are always controlled and depleted by governments

Answer

Environmental problems are too complex for ordinary people to manage responsibly

Answer

Common lands always have lower biodiversity than privately owned land