Chapter 1 AP® Environmental Science Practice Exam

Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions

Choose the best answer for questions 1–11.

Question 1

1. Which of the following events has increased the impact of humans on the environment?

  1. advances in technology

  2. reduced human population growth

  3. use of tools for hunting

  1. I only

  2. I and II only

  3. II and III only

  4. I and III only

  5. I, II, and III

Question 2

2. As described in this chapter, environmental indicators

  1. always tell us what is causing an environmental change.

  2. can be used to analyze the health of natural systems.

  3. are useful only when studying large-scale changes.

  4. do not provide information regarding sustainability.

  5. take into account only the living components of ecosystems.

Question 3

3. Which statement regarding a global environmental indicator is NOT correct?

  1. Concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been rising quite steadily since the Industrial Revolution.

  2. World grain production has increased fairly steadily since 1950, but worldwide production of grain per capita has decreased dramatically over the same period.

  3. For the past 130 years, average global surface temperatures have shown an overall increase that seems likely to continue.

  4. World population is expected to be between 8.1 billion and 9.6 billion by 2050.

  5. Some natural resources are available in finite amounts and are consumed during a one-time use, whereas other finite resources can be used multiple times through recycling.

Question 4

4. Figure 2.5 (on page 12) shows atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over time. The measured concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is an example of

  1. a sample of air from over the Antarctic.

  2. an environmental indicator.

  3. replicate sampling.

  4. calculating an ecological footprint.

  5. how to study seasonal variation in Earth’s temperatures.

Question 5

5. Environmental metrics such as the ecological footprint are most informative when they are considered along with other environmental indicators. Which indicator, when considered in conjunction with the ecological footprint, would provide the most information about environmental impact?

  1. biological diversity

  2. food production

  3. human population

  4. CO2 concentration

  5. water quality

Question 6

6. In science, which of the following is the most certain?

  1. hypothesis

  2. idea

  3. natural law

  4. observation

  5. theory

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Question 7

7. All of the following would be exclusively caused by anthropogenic activities except

  1. combustion of fossil fuels.

  2. overuse of resources such as uranium.

  3. forest clearing for crops.

  4. air pollution from burning oil.

  5. forest fires.

Question 8

8. Use Figure 2.3 (on page 11) to calculate the approximate percentage change in world grain production per person between 1950 and 2000.

  1. 10 percent

  2. 20 percent

  3. 30 percent

  4. 40 percent

  5. 50 percent

Question 9

9. The populations of some endangered animal species have stabilized or increased in numbers after human intervention. An example of a species that is still endangered and needs further assistance to recover is the

  1. American bison.

  2. peregrine falcon.

  3. bald eagle.

  4. American alligator.

  5. snow leopard.

Questions 10 and 11 refer to the following experimental scenario:

An experiment was performed to determine the effect of caffeine on the pulse rate of five healthy 18-year-old males. Each was given 250 mL of a beverage with or without caffeine. The men had their pulse rates measured before they had the drink (time 0 minutes) and again after they had been sitting at rest for 30 minutes after consuming the drink. The results are shown in the following table.

Subject Beverage Caffeine content (mg/mL) Pulse rate at time 0 minutes Pulse rate at time 30 minutes
1 Water 0 60 59
2 Caffeine-free soda 0 55 56
3 Caffeinated soda 10 58 68
4 Coffee, decaffeinated 3 62 67
5 Coffee, regular 45 58 81

Question 10

10.Before the researchers began the experiment, they formulated a null hypothesis. The best null hypothesis for the experiment would be that caffeine

  1. has no observable effect on the pulse rate of an individual.

  2. will increase the pulse rates of all test subjects.

  3. will decrease the pulse rates of all test subjects.

  4. has no observable effects on the pulse rates of 18-year-old males.

  5. from a soda will have a greater effect on pulse rates than caffeine from coffee.

Question 11

11.After analyzing the results of the experiment, the most appropriate conclusion would be that caffeine

  1. increased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.

  2. decreased the pulse rates of the 18-year-old males tested.

  3. will increase the pulse rate of any individual that is tested.

  4. increases the pulse rate and is safe to consume.

  5. makes drinks better than decaffeinated beverages.

Section 2: Free-Response Questions

Write your answer to each part clearly. Support your answers with relevant information and examples. Where calculations are required, show your work.

Question 1

1. Your neighbor has fertilized her lawn. Several weeks later, she is alarmed to see that the surface of her ornamental pond, which sits at the bottom of the sloping lawn, is covered with a green layer of algae.

  1. Suggest a feasible explanation for the algal bloom in the pond. (2 points)

  2. Design an experiment that would enable you to validate your explanation. Include and label in your answer:

    1. a testable hypothesis (2 points)

    2. the variable that you will be testing (1 point)

    3. the data to be collected (1 point)

    4. a description of the experimental procedure (2 points)

    5. a description of the results that would validate your hypothesis (1 point)

  3. Based on the data from your experiment and your explanation of the problem, think of and suggest one action that your neighbor could take to help the pond recover. (1 point)

Question 2

2. The study of environmental science sometimes involves examining the overuse of environmental resources.

  1. Identify one general effect of overuse of an environmental resource. (3 points)

  2. For the effect you listed above, describe a more sustainable strategy for resource utilization. (3 points)

  3. Describe how the events from Easter Island can be indicative of environmental issues on Earth today. (4 points)