Deck 1: Humans and the Geologic Environment

Question 1

The biggest environmental issue facing the human race is sustainability.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

When defining environmental risks, scientists must primarily consider which of the following components?

A) The probability that an event will occur and the expected consequences of that event.
B) The consequences of an event only.
C) The magnitude and consequences of an event.
D) The measures necessary to prevent environmental risks from occurring.
E) Whether an event is even possible.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

This type of dating uses radioactive elements and their decay products to determine an absolute age for an earth material.

A) Radiometric Dating
B) Relative Dating
C) Fossilization Timing
D) Petrographic Dating
E) Superposition

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A scientific law describes the relationship between several different hypotheses.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding the Earth system?

A) Humans are not capable of affecting the system.
B) It consists of several sub-systems.
C) It is dynamic and interactive.
D) It is affected by other bodies in the solar system.
E) Earth's life forms are dependent on the system.

Question 6

Which of the following measures do environmentalists suggest may be necessary in order for humans to live in a sustainable manner?

A) All of the answers listed here
B) Stabilize the population
C) Conserve resources
D) Reduce per capita consumption of resources
E) Develop renewable energy resources

Question 7

Which term refers to a scientific explanation of data that can be tested in such a way that shows it to be false?

A) Hypothesis
B) Uncertainty
C) Plausibility
D) Educated Guess
E) All of the answers listed here

Question 8

The tragedy of the commons is an important concept related to environmental degradation and human behavior. Which of the following best describes this concept?

A) When the self interest of individuals destroys natural resources being shared by society.
B) When a common disease spreads through society due to poor sanitation.
C) When over population creates living conditions that lower the quality of life.
D) When humans act irrationally during a large-scale natural disaster.
E) When humans overreact to an environmental threat and then limit economic growth.

Question 9

How does the ecological footprint for people living in developed (industrialized) nations compare to that of people living in still developing nations?

A) It is greater
B) It is smaller
C) It is equivalent
D) This is not a plausible comparison
E) It is not defined for developing nations

Question 10

Which term is used to describe the amount of biologically productive land/sea area necessary to support the lifestyle of an individual?

A) Ecological Footprint
B) Sustainable Square
C) Environmental Area
D) Geologic Commons
E) Consumption Rate

Question 11

Which trend best describes human population growth?

A) Exponential
B) Linear
C) Tangential
D) Planar
E) Unpredictable

Question 12

Almost all of the environmental problems discussed in class were ultimately tied to one factor. Which of the following is the root cause of most of our problems?

A) Human population
B) Air pollution
C) Food production
D) Energy production
E) Water pollution

Question 13

As one of many species living on Earth, humans are very limited in their ability to impact the environment.

Question 14

Which of the following in NOT an attribute of a good scientific explanation?

A) Sustainable
B) Falsifiable
C) Peer-Reviewed
D) Consistent with all the data available
E) All of the answers listed here

Question 15

Which of the following refers to the process by which the physical world is examined in a logical manner?

A) Scientific Method
B) Elemental Method
C) Plausibility Theory
D) Inquiry Theory
E) Intelligent Design

Question 16

About how many years old is the Earth as shown by science?

A) 4.6 billion
B) 4.6 million
C) 4.6 thousand
D) 4.6 trillion
E) 10 thousand

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT true of incremental processes?

A) They take place somewhat randomly as discrete events.
B) They generate very small changes with time.
C) They can be difficult to recognize.
D) Deforestation is an example of an incremental process.
E) Climate change is an example of an incremental process.

Question 18

Which of the following terms refers to the use of resources in such a way that future generations will have a fair share and inherit a quality environment?

A) Sustainability
B) Renewability
C) Catastrophism
D) Environmentalism
E) All of the answers listed here

Question 19

How was the geologic time scale developed?

A) By correlating exposed rock sections from around the world.
B) By systematically dividing all of earth history into equally spaced time intervals, similar to the hours and minutes on a clock.
C) By radiometrically dating successive intervals in rock layers.
D) By compiling Biblical and historical records to reconstruct Earth's history.
E) All of the answers listed here.

Question 20

Which of the following are potentially limiting factors associated with food production and distribution?

A) All of the answers listed here
B) Water supply and resources
C) Mineral resources
D) Energy resources
E) Topsoil erosion

Question 21

In geologic time, humans have existed for only a very brief amount of Earth's history.