Exam 1: Environmental Science and Sustainability: Whats the Big Idea

Select the scientific hypothesis.

Denecha lowers the temperature on her water heater in order to use less natural gas and save money. After making this change, she discovers that the water needs to run longer in order to warm up enough to shower. Weighing the pros of using less energy against the cons of using more water is an example of

The three countries with the largest ecological footprints are the United States, China, and India. Given that the populations of these countries are 320 million (United States), 1.4 billion (China), and1.3 billion (India), which of the statements is correct?

Ecological footprint analysis is a method used to understand the

Prior to publication in a scientific journal, an article must undergo the process of peer review. In this process, "peer" refers to which group?

A student in the cafeteria states that composting food waste would significantly increase the sustainability of school operations. This statement is best described as a(n)

Select the phrase that best defines an aspect of pseudoscience.

Define an ecosystem and describe the specific components of an ecosystem that is located where you live.

Chronic overfishing disrupts a coral reef ecosystem, making the reef more susceptible to bleaching and resulting in die-off events rather than recovering. In this example, the result of human impact is______of the coral reef.

Juanita and Robert have four daughters together and Juanita is currently pregnant with their fifth child. The couple tells a neighbor, "After four girls, we're confident this one will be a boy because we are due for a son." Which concept best explains this statement?

Julie and Mark have a one-year old son, Kliff. Based on an advertisement, they purchase a subscription to online streaming of "Baby Smart: Guaranteed!" The advertisement claims the product will speed up intellectual development, but fails to describe or reference any supporting studies. How would a friend identify the issue with the product claim and explain how this violates the scientific process?

A(n)_____is a test in which researchers intentionally manipulate some aspect of a system and compare the changed system to an unaltered one.

Which phrase best describes the scientific method?

Fossil fuel combustion from millions of cars contributes to air pollution and climate change. Given this information, which is the best example of sustainability in transportation?

A rumor that is false but widely believed is a good example of

Only when all of the parts of an automobile are assembled does it become a functional vehicle. In this way, an automobile is best defined as a(n)

The process of science is best described as a

Sam decides to bike instead of drive across campus to class because she cares about reducing her environmental impact. This desire for how she wants things to be reflects her