Deck 2: Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems

Question 1

Use the figure above to answer the following question.
The pH of stomach acid suggests that it _____________

A) would be harmful to living organisms ingested with food
B) is inside the biological range of pH values
C) must be very close to the pH of other body fluids
D) is an excellent environment for bacteria and fungi to multiply
E) has a very high concentration of hydroxide ions

Answer 1

is inside the biological range of pH values

Question 2

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Combinations of elements held together with bonds

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Answer 2

molecules

Question 3

An example of a positive feedback loop ______________

A) is melting arctic snow exposing dark surfaces that heat up and cause further melting
B) is a thermostat turning on the furnace as the temperature drops
C) are birds migrating south in response to colder temperatures
D) are predators eating most of their prey and then declining in numbers
E) is a pond becoming more acidic as a result of pollution

Answer 3

is melting arctic snow exposing dark surfaces that heat up and cause further melting

Question 4

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Elements with the same atomic number but with different atomic masses

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Question 5

______________ are the primary water-insoluble components of cell membranes.

A) Proteins
B) Nucleic acids
C) Carbohydrates
D) Lipids
E) Acids

Question 6

Use the figure above to answer the following question.
If the pond above is chemically treated to raise the pH to 7.0 ___________________

A) the concentration of hydrogen ion is now lower than at pH 7.5
B) the water of the pond is now slightly alkaline
C) the pond is now pH neutral and it has more hydrogen ions than at pH 7.5
D) the water of the pond is now slightly acid
E) there will be no measurable levels of hydrogen ion in the pond

Question 7

______________ is defined as the number of protons plus the number of neutrons.

A) Atomic number
B) Mass number
C) Nuclear number
D) Ionic number
E) Isotopic number

Question 8

Use the figure above to answer the following question.
A decrease of one unit in the pH scale above represents a tenfold increase in the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution. For example, a solution having a pH of 4 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 5. If acid precipitation rain changes the pH of a pond from 7.5 to 6.5, the level of hydrogen ion has changed by a factor of ___________________

A) 10
B) 100
C) 13.0
D) 0.01
E) 2.0

Question 9

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Negatively charged particles

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Question 10

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is ______________

A) useful in tracking the movements of individual organisms
B) used to measure the economic value of ecosystem services
C) helping conservation biologists study habitats and study biodiversity
D) useful in determining the number of heterotrophs in an ecosystem
E) used to predict rainfall and temperature changes in ecosystems

Question 11

Use the figure above to answer the following question.
The figure suggests that the biological pH values displayed in the graph (are) ________________

A) indicate an absence of hydrogen ions
B) in the extremely acid range
C) range from 1.5 to 8
D) indicate an absence of hydroxide ions
E) in the extremely alkaline range

Question 12

Compared to energy-flow in ecosystems, the flow of matter ______________

A) is one-way
B) moves from consumers to producers
C) does not involve either detritivores or detritus
D) is always dissipated as heat
E) reflects conservation and recycling

Question 13

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
The smallest components of elements that still maintain the chemical properties of the element

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Question 14

The greatest source of both nitrogen and phosphorus entering Chesapeake Bay is ______________

A) agriculture
B) municipal and industrial wastewater
C) urban fertilizer runoff
D) septic systems
E) natural sources

Question 15

Which of the following represents an example of aerobic cellular respiration?

A) water + carbon dioxide + energy → glucose + oxygen + water
B) glucose + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + energy
C) nitrogen + oxygen + glucose → methane + carbon dioxide
D) water + carbon dioxide → glucose + oxygen + water + energy
E) nitrogen + carbon dioxide + energy → methane + oxygen

Question 16

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Charged particles located in the nucleus

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Question 17

In all ecosystems energy is eventually lost to the environment via ______________

A) heat resulting from respiration
B) radiation and reflection of light
C) matter
D) photosynthesis
E) trophic levels

Question 18

______________ are composed of amino acids.

A) Proteins
B) Lipids
C) Bases
D) Nucleic acids
E) Carbohydrates

Question 19

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Elements or molecules with a charge

A)atoms
B)electrons
C)isotopes
D)ions
E)molecules
F)protons
G)neutrons

Question 20

Ecological modeling is most useful for studying ______________

A) small isolated microhabitats, where the inputs and outputs are well-studied
B) large complex ecosystems that have many interactions
C) how individual species interact with one another
D) artificial data generated by computers
E) the biodiversity in ecosystems

Question 21

Cellular respiration ______________

A) involves a net consumption of water
B) liberates carbon dioxide and water
C) results in a net consumption of energy
D) requires the green pigment chlorophyll
E) represents a decrease in entropy

Question 22

The greatest human impact on the carbon cycle has been through ______________

A) depletion of aquifers
B) combustion of fossil fuels
C) increased respiration of the exponentially growing human population
D) mining of limestone (calcium carbonate)
E) use of synthetic fertilizers

Question 23

When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting ______________

A) electromagnetic to chemical
B) chemical to nuclear energy
C) proteins to amino acids
D) thermal to electromagnetic energy
E) chemical to thermal (heat) energy

Question 24

During the light reactions of photosynthesis, the solar energy absorbed by chlorophyll is used to ______________

A) split water molecules and release oxygen in the form of O₂
B) break down macromolecules such as starch
C) produce small, high-energy molecules that are used in the Calvin cycle to manufacture sugars
D) defend against predators
E) Both A and C

Question 25

Biological nitrogen fixation (nitrogen fixation that is performed by living organisms) is carried out by ______________

A) pine trees
B) mammals
C) fungi
D) various species of specialized bacteria
E) slime molds

Question 26

The greatest source of water in the hydrological cycle is ______________

A) groundwater
B) soil water
C) oceans
D) precipitation
E) the atmosphere

Question 27

Aquifers are ______________

A) large bodies of surface water such as lakes and oceans
B) a source of water largely untapped by agriculture and urban systems
C) moist areas of soils that permit infiltration of nitrogen and phosphorus
D) areas where the water table is above ground most of the year
E) porous rock formations located underground that store groundwater

Question 28

Electrically charged atoms or combinations of atoms are called ______________

A) isotopes
B) compounds
C) elements
D) molecules
E) ions

Question 29

Precipitation ______________

A) that is acidic would have a pH lower than pure water
B) has become increasingly more basic in the last 100 years, due to industrial air pollution
C) that is acidic would have a pH higher than 7
D) that measures pH = 4 is twice as acidic as precipitation that measures pH = 5
E) that is acidic has a low concentration of hydrogen ions

Question 30

Of the following, ______________ is not a macromolecule.

A) DNA
B) starch
C) proteins
D) glucose
E) cellulose

Question 31

Consider the following processes: respiration, combustion, polymerization, nitrification, industrial fixation, and photosynthesis. How many of these result in the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?

A) 1
B) none
C) all
D) 2
E) 4

Question 32

River water held behind a dam is best described as a form of ______________

A) chemical energy
B) entropy
C) kinetic energy
D) potential energy
E) thermodynamics

Question 33

Forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots, what compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissues?

A) Enzymes
B) Cellulose
C) Chlorophyll
D) Starch
E) Protein

Question 34

Net primary productivity is ______________

A) the energy used by plants to make biomass after respiration
B) the total biomass of an entire ecosystem
C) the amount of detritus produced by an ecosystem
D) the biomass of producers minus that of consumers
E) the amount of energy consumers derive from producers

Question 35

In the flow of matter in ecosystems, the greatest flow of nutrients is between ______________

A) middle consumers and producers
B) the sun and producers
C) detritus and producers
D) decomposers and top consumers
E) producers and top consumers

Question 36

The greatest planetary pool of nitrogen is ______________

A) the lithosphere
B) the hydrosphere
C) in fossil fuel deposits
D) the atmosphere
E) the biosphere

Question 37

Skin, hair, muscles, and enzymes are all made up of ______________

A) proteins
B) organelles
C) lipids
D) carbohydrates
E) nucleic acids

Question 38

The trophic level of ʺproducersʺ includes ______________

A) the sum of both living and dead biomass in an ecosystem
B) any organism producing biomass directly from photosynthesis
C) any organism using oxygen for respiration
D) heterotrophs only
E) heterotrophs and autotrophs

Question 39

That all the energy of the universe remains constant, is conserved, neither created nor destroyed, but may change form is a statement of the ______________

A) First Law of Thermodynamics
B) Law of Cosmic Inertia
C) Law of Feedback
D) Law of Systemic Connection
E) Law of Entropy

Question 40

During photosynthesis within plants, ______________

A) entropy increases
B) oxygen is consumed
C) there is net consumption of water and carbon dioxide
D) entropy stays the same
E) the high-quality energy of the sun is converted to a lower quality

Question 41

Briefly discuss how human activities have affected the balance of global hydrological and carbon cycles.

Question 42

Some organisms, such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, produced their own food by absorbing the sunʹs radiation. These organisms are referred to as ______________

A) autotrophs or producers
B) mutualists or consumers
C) parasites or heterotrophs
D) heterotrophs or consumers
E) heterotrophs or producers

Question 43

Briefly explain the overall processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Include a brief explanation of autotrophs and heterotrophs in your answer.

Question 44

The total amount of chemical energy produced by autotrophs, such as plants and phytoplankton, is called gross primary production. The energy that remains after plants use some of the gross primary production to fuel their own metabolism is known as ______________

A) secondary production
B) negative primary production
C) net primary production
D) negative secondary production
E) positive primary production

Question 45

Discuss how natural ecosystems provide valuable ecosystem services to humankind.

Question 46

In what ways are macromolecules essential to life? Describe the structures of three and describe their major role(s) in organisms.

Question 47

Plants release water vapor through their leaves; this process is called ______________

A) magnification
B) evaporation
C) transpiration
D) condensation
E) percolation

Question 48

Briefly describe what ecologists mean by an ecosystem.

Question 49

Compare the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

Question 50

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
The same expert found that dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen levels were more than ten times what they were seventy years ago. The primary sources of these are very likely from .

A) natural atmospheric phosphorus and nitrogen fixation
B) the increased algal biomass in the lake
C) agricultural and urban fertilizer runoff as well as increased urban wastewater discharges
D) soil particles eroded from the deforested watershed
E) the changes in dissolved oxygen levels

Question 51

What is the first law of thermodynamics, and why is it important?

Question 52

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
A water quality expert checked the level of dissolved oxygen in lake water and found it .

A) was within normal limits for an unpolluted lake
B) very low at the surface and normal near the bottom sediments
C) was low-normal on the surface but extremely low near the bottom sediments
D) absent entirely
E) was much higher than normal

Question 53

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
The symptoms of the lake suggest .

A) overfishing
B) eutrophication
C) that all the problems have been created by deforestation
D) pesticide poisoning
E) the effects of global climate change

Question 54

How do organic compounds differ from inorganic compounds?

A) Inorganic compounds never contain carbon, whereas organic compounds always contain carbon.
B) Inorganic compounds always only consist of two atoms.
C) Organic compounds are always acidic, while inorganic compounds are always basic.
D) Organic compounds consist of carbon atoms joined by covalent bonds and may contain other elements, such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Inorganic compounds lack carbon-carbon bonds.
E) A and C are correct.

Question 55

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
A task force composed of water quality chemists, environmental landscape experts, townspeople and corn growers meet and share information. They decide that they must focus on in the initial efforts to restore the lake.

A) banning agriculture from the entire region
B) reducing fertilizer inputs into the lake by exploring alternative farming techniques, increasing the efficiency of the wastewater plant and using aerators to increase oxygen levels in the areas where streams flow into the lake
C) closing the wastewater treatment plant and reducing agriculture by 75%
D) restoring biodiversity to the deforested areas and closing the wastewater plant
E) reducing the population of the town by 50% and agriculture by 50%

Question 56

All of the following are approaches to reducing eutrophication except ______________

A) planting and maintaining vegetation buffers around ditches and streams that trap nutrient and sediment runoff
B) using artificial wetlands to filter stormwater and farm runoff
C) upgrading stormwater systems to capture runoff from roads and parking lots
D) applying fertilizers to farmland just before heavy rains are predicted
E) reducing fertilizer use on farms and lawns

Question 57

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
The murkiness (turbidity) of the water was analyzed and found to have several major sources, including .

A) algae, increased microscopic animal life, and pesticides
B) fertilizer particles, wind-borne atmospheric particles and wastewater discharge
C) pesticides, atmospheric deposition and wastewater discharges
D) erosion from the deforested hillsides, sediments produced from poorly treated wastewater discharge, and sediments produced from the increased plant biomass of the lake
E) erosion from the hillsides, solid nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural fertilizers and numerous microscopic animals living in bottom sediments

Question 58

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Glass Lake, located in a valley in low forested mountains, for many decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a favorite picnic, recreation, and fishing site for people in surrounding towns and farms. However, in the middle of the 20th century, a trend began in which the privately-owned farms in the Lakeʹs watershed were purchased by large agribusinesses.
The decision was made to grow a profitable crop. The demand for quality farmland resulted in the sale of most of the family-owned establishments and a large increase in the area of land under cultivation. Most of the forests were cut to acquire the land needed for crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased several fold by the end of the century. In addition, the combined population of the lakeside villages quadrupled during the same time. The lake experienced a slow degradation of water quality and biodiversity. Sport fishing declined and the lake became murky while the sediments in the lake increased in depth.
A biodiversity survey of the lake revealed a striking decline in nearly all animal species and in rooted plant life, especially where streams discharged into the lake. The immediate cause(s) of the decline most likely were .

A) pesticide poisoning
B) natural declines in aging wildlife populations
C) very low oxygen levels and lack of plants to support animal consumers
D) toxicity of nitrogen and phosphorus to wildlife
E) the fact that the past two winters were colder than usual