Exam 1 (in class review) Flashcards
Which statement best describes environmental science?
A) It seeks to identify environmental problems
B) It brings together specialists from the natural sciences
C) It draws on the natural sciences and humanities to help us understand the world and our place in it.
D) It focuses on the basic ecology of natural environments.
C) It draws on the natural sciences and humanities to help us understand the world and our place in it.
Which of the following would be an example of applied science?
A) observing and recording the rate of glacier melt
B) studying soil to find the composition and water retention ability
C) understanding the potential energy of flowing water to harness its power to produce energy
D) analyzing ice cores to determine climate at a given time
C) understanding the potential energy of flowing water to harness its power to produce energy
Snow and particles can freeze and be trapped in ice, allowing scientists to find clues to the past. What did the ice core samples tell the scientists about the history of the Vikings in Greenland?
A) The Vikings used slabs of sod to insulate their houses when they lived there.
B) The temperature of the area lowered greatly during the time the Vikings lived in Greenland.
C) Soil erosion was a problem because the Vikings overgrazed the land.
D) The food source of the Vikings shifted from livestock to more dependency on seal meat.
B) The temperature of the area lowered greatly during the time the Vikings lived in Greenland
What is environmental literacy?
A) reading scientific literature and understanding how an experiment was performed
B) the ability to understand environmental problems
C) a personal philosophy that influences how one interacts with their natural environment
D) the scientific approach that investigates the natural world through observation and experimentation
B) the ability to understand environmental problems
Which of these is true of wicked problems?
A) They only have one cause.
B) Their potential solutions almost always come with trade-offs.
C) They have simple solutions.
D) They are simple and often have no consequences
B) Their potential solutions almost always come with trade-offs.
The triple bottom line considers the environmental, social, and ______ impact of our choices.
ethical
climatic
scientific
economic
economic
What is sustainable development?
A) increasing our present needs so future generations will have to adapt their needs to the conditions in the future
B) meeting our present needs while still allowing future generations to meet their own needs
C) decreasing our present needs significantly so future generations can have more than they need
D) meeting our present needs while not being concerned about the needs of future generations
B) meeting our present needs while still allowing future generations to meet their own needs
Many scientists suggest we have entered a new geologic time interval. What is the name of this new time interval?
Radiocence
Holocene
Anthropocene
Geocene
Anthropocone
Which of these is an example of acting sustainably?
A) using resources at or below their rate of replacement
B) exporting any wastes that our local environment cannot adequately dispose of
C) meeting the needs of today’s society with renewable and non-renewable local resources
D) using available local resources and importing other resources not found locally that we also need or want
A) using resources at or below their rate of replacement
A feral dog roams your neighborhood. The dog is scared, but obviously in poor health. She appears to have a contagious skin disease called mange and is suffering. Your friend John says the dog should be captured, and mercifully euthanized, so that she does not negatively effect the neighborhood’s reputation. Your friend Albert argues that the animal has the right to live. He wants to take her to the vet to see if she can be saved. John’s view is _____ , while Albert’s view is _____.
A) anthropocentric; biocentric
B) ecocentric; biocentric
C) ecocentric; anthropocentric
D) biocentric; ecocentric
A) anthropocentric; biocentric
Which of the following defines science?
A) only a body of knowledge about a subject
B) both a body of knowledge and the process used to get the knowledge
C) only the process used to get knowledge about a subject
D) only the experiment done to acquire data
B) both a body of knowledge and the process used to get the knowledge
Which of the following questions can be examined with empirical observations?
A) Is the death penalty wrong?
B) Does playing video games improve hand-eye coordination?
C) What is the meaning of life?
D) What is my cat thinking?
B) Does playing video games improve hand-eye coordination?
A possible explanation for what we have observed based on previous knowledge is
an inference.
an observation.
a hypothesis.
a prediction
hypothesis
Which of the following represents the highest level of certainty assigned to an explanation in science?
absolute proof
hypothesis
prediction
theory
theory
The difference in hibernation between bats with WNS and bats in normal hibernation is that
A) bats with WNS have lower metabolic rates than bats in normal hibernation.
B) bats with WNS have increased frequency of arousals.
C) bats in normal hibernation have higher metabolic rates than bats with WNS.
D) bats in normal hibernation have increased frequency of arousals.
B) bats with WNS have increased frequency of arousals.
