Science Final part 2 Flashcards
The environmental degradation of the copper basin, Tennessee region is the result of all of the following except:
a) destruction of nearby aquatic communities.
b) deforestation.
c) acid precipitation.
d) soil erosion.
e) All of these choices are associated with the environmental degradation of the Copper Basin area.
-all of these choices are associated with the environmental degradation of the copper basin area
Phytoremediation is a process used to:
a)remove impurities from metal ores.
b) absorb toxic materials from the soil.
c) treat harmful gases produced by smelting.
d) neutralize acid mine drainage.
e) minimize erosion in open-pit mines.
Absorb toxic materials from the soil
Dematerialization refers to
a) a company selling waste products to another company for a different use.
b) a decrease in the weight of products over time.
c) burning or otherwise destroying a product to reduce waste.
d) replacing one material in a product with a less expensive one.
e) recycling individual metals found in electronic products.
-a decrease in the weight of products over time
Which of the following is used to separate impurities from molten metal?
a) tailings
b) phytoremediation
c) mine drainage
d) smelting
e) recycling
smelting
Which of the following statements about wetlands is false?
creating and maintaining wetlands is an inexpensive solution to the problem of acid mine drainage.
Mineral ___ have been identified and are currently profitable to extract, while mineral ____ include ores that are undiscovered or currently unprofitable to extract.
a) funds; collections
b) caches; refuges
c) resources; reserves
d) reserves; resources
e) stores; hoards
reserves; resources
The environmental damage near Ducktown, Tennessee was caused by:
a) coal mining and ash ponds.
b) copper mining and smelting.
c) gold mining and smelting.
d) strip mining for diamonds.
e) open-pit mining for sand and gravel.
copper, mining, and smelting
____ use a variety of instruments to locate valuable mineral deposits.
geologists
The Safe Drinking Water Act and the Underground Injection Control Program regulate the placement and number of such wells, which can be located only where minimal danger of groundwater contamination exists.
True
False
true
The Pollution Prevention Act (1990) was the first U.S. environmental law to focus on the reduced generation of pollutants at their point of origin
True
False
true
Bioremediation is not the use of bacteria and other microorganisms to break down hazard
True
False
False
Pesticides are typically organic compounds
True
False
true
Hazardous waste includes dangerously reactive, corrosive, ignitable, or toxic chemicals
True
False
true
Non-municipal solid waste is generated by industry, agriculture, and mining
True
False
true
Municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded by homes, office buildings, retail stores, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and other commercial and institutional facilities. It is a relatively 50% of all the solid waste produced
True
False
false
The U.S. generates more solid waste, per capita, than any other country (1.99 kg or 4.38 lbs. per person per day)
True
False
true
Combustion of which of these fossil fuels is/are linked to global warming?
coal
natural gas
methane
oil
All of these
all of these
Water:
is composed only of oxygen atoms.
is composed of two atoms of oxygen and one atom of hydrogen.
is composed of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.
is composed of two atoms of helium and one atom of oxygen.
is composed only of hydrogen atoms.
is composed of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.
Saltwater intrusion can occur in coastal areas due to:
wetland degradation
subsidence
sinkhole formation
excessive groundwater pumping
larger or more frequent hurricanes
excessive groundwater pumping
Hydrogen bonds describe the way:
an oxygen atom in a single molecule is attracted to the oxygen atom in an adjacent molecule
a hydrogen atom in one molecule is attracted to an oxygen atom in an adjacent molecule.
two hydrogen atoms in a single water molecule are attracted to one another
a hydrogen atom in a single molecule is attracted to the oxygen atom in that same molecule
a hydrogen atom in one molecule is attracted to a hydrogen atom in an adjacent molecule
a hydrogen atom in one molecule is attracted to an oxygen atom in an adjacent molecule.
_______ are minerals that are usually malleable, good conductors of heat and electricity, and lustrous.
Low-grade ores
Phosphates
Metals
High-grade ores
Rocks
metals
Negative environmental impacts from oil and natural gas production may occur due to:
accidental spills during transport
radical changes in the local topography
release of toxins
release of particulates into the atmosphere
release of acids
accidental spills during transport
All of these factors are important in the discovery of oil and natural gas deposits except:
identification of core samples containing microfossils
association with remains of ancient forests
detection of structural traps
association with salt domes
location of the right rock layer
association with remains of ancient forests
Which of these fossil fuels is composed primarily of methane?
oil
lignite
tar sands
natural gas
coal
natural gas
Which of these statements about coal is false?
Coal supplies about 20% of the energy used in the United States.
Which of these statements about coal is false?
Coal powered the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution
Coal produces far less SO2 than natural gas or oil
Subsurface mining accounts for about 40% of the coal mined in the U.S.
Coal produces far less SO2 than natural gas or oil
Combustion of which of these fossil fuels is/are linked to global warming?
coal
oil
methane
natural gas
All of these
All of these
Natural gas may be used in all of the following except:
generation of electricity
plastics and paints
transportation
cogeneration
commercial cooling
plastics and paints
What does the term “Peak Oil” refer to?
an environmentally friendly synthetic oil with much lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil
the point in time at which the maximum amount of oil is being pumped from underground
the time period during which international economies based on petroleum products arose
the time period during which oil refineries operate at their highest capacity
the time period during which the rate of oil use is highest
the point in time at which the maximum amount of oil is being pumped from underground
Today the world’s main energy source is
natural gas
nuclear
oil
coal
oil
Potential uses for calcium sulfate sludge, resulting from acid neutralization, include:
wallboard and soil conditioner
wallboard
soil conditioner
all of these
concrete
wallboard and soil conditioner
The energy released in the burning of biomass fuels:
originated as solar energy
All of these
was stored as chemical energy in plant tissues or animal waste products
was initially converted from solar energy to chemical energy by the process of
all of these
Growing crops specifically for alcohol production would probably result in:
All of these
increased soil erosion
increased pollution by fertilizers and pesticides
increased desertification
reduced food production
all of these
What is the role of the reactor core in a nuclear power plant?
it restricts atomic fallout to reduce contamination
it breaks large radioisotopes into smaller radioisotopes
it provides heat to superheat water into steam under pressure, which is used to generate electricity
it maintains one radioactive decay per second
it reacts chemically with high-energy particles rendering them inert
it provides heat to superheat water into steam under pressure, which is used to generate electricity
Estimates of mineral reserves are dependent upon:
a) technological changes.
b) economic changes.
c) political changes.
d) price fluctuations.
e) all of these statements are true
all of these statements are true
Tar sands, oil shales, and gas hydrates are examples of
a) fossil fuels
b) synfuels
c) evaporates
d) petrochemicals
e) strata
synfuels
The greatest increase in worldwide energy consumption in the last few years is related to:
a) American fascination with driving SUVs
b) Economic development in China and India
c) Use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture
d) Increase in population in Africa
e) Global warming
Economic development in China and India
China is quickly becoming a major player in the global market of oil consumption for all of these reasons except:
a) China has developed technology for converting coal into oil
b) China’s economic growth is exploding
c) China’s motor vehicle ownership per capita is increasing
d) China has a population of over 1 billion people
e) Mass transit primarily uses oil as a source of energy
China has developed technology for converting coal into oil
Based on the figure below, which region of the world has the third-largest oil deposits?
a) North America
b) Africa
c) Asia and Oceania
d) East Europe and former U.S.S.R.
e) South and Central America
East Europe and former U.S.S.R.
All of the following statements are true about surface mining except
a) It accounts for 60% of the coal mined in the United States
b) It is also known as strip mining
c) It is generally safer for miners than other coal mining processes
d) It is a less expensive mining process than subsurface mining
e) It is the most hazardous type of mining for workers
It is the most hazardous type of mining for workers
Which of the following fuels produces the greatest quantity of CO2 per unit of heat energy produced?
a) methane
b) natural gas
c) coal
d) oil
e) wood
coal
In areas experiencing acid precipitation, the pH of the rain may be
a) 2.1
b) 5.6
c) 7.0
d) 7.9
e) 11.9
2.1