AS Associate Of Science In Environmental Science 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs ultraviolet radiation?
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere (Correct answer)
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
Correct answer: Stratosphere
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, approximately 15–35 km above Earth's surface, and absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Question 2: Which of the following is a renewable energy source?
- Coal
- Natural gas
- Nuclear fission
- Solar power (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Solar power
Solar power is a renewable energy source because it is continuously replenished by the sun and will not run out on a human timescale.
Question 3: What is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for human-caused climate change?
- Oxygen
- Nitrogen
- Carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) (Correct answer)
- Argon
Correct answer: Carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚)
Carbon dioxide is the most significant human-emitted greenhouse gas driving climate change, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.
Question 4: What is the term for an organism that breaks down dead organic matter into simpler inorganic compounds?
- Producer
- Primary consumer
- Decomposer (Correct answer)
- Apex predator
Correct answer: Decomposer
Decomposers (such as bacteria and fungi) break down dead organic matter into inorganic nutrients, recycling essential elements back into the ecosystem.
Question 5: What does the term 'carrying capacity' mean in ecology?
- The maximum weight an ecosystem can support
- The maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely (Correct answer)
- The amount of carbon an ecosystem stores
- The diversity of species in an ecosystem
Correct answer: The maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely
Carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely given the available resources such as food, water, and space.
Question 6: Which environmental law established the framework for regulating air pollutants in the United States?
- Clean Water Act
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- Clean Air Act (Correct answer)
- National Environmental Policy Act
Correct answer: Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act, first enacted in 1963 and significantly expanded in 1970 and 1990, is the primary U.S. federal law regulating air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.
AS Associate Of Science In Environmental Science 1
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs ultraviolet radiation?