Practice Test 4 - AP Environmental Science

20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.

A suburban area downwind of a major city reports its highest ozone concentrations in mid-to-late afternoon, even though traffic (NO $_x$ and VOC emissions) peaks in the morning commute. Which explanation best accounts for this timing pattern in photochemical smog?
Air at the surface flows from the subtropical high toward the subpolar low in the mid-latitudes. With Coriolis deflection, this results in which prevailing winds?
A country phases out CFCs but ozone recovers slowly; which explanation best fits and supports continued controls?
A field on steep slopes shows erosion from furrow irrigation; what irrigation change best reduces erosion?
A farmer applies fertilizer just before a heavy storm. Which best predicts nutrient movement from the field?
An air-quality manager wants to predict when photochemical smog will be most severe in a metro area where the main emissions are NOx from cars and VOCs from gasoline evaporation and industrial coatings. On which day would you expect the highest ground-level ozone ( $\mathrm{O_3}$ ) formation and the greatest risk of health effects such as chest tightness and reduced lung function? Choose the option that best matches conditions favoring NOx + VOC + sunlight reactions.
A country with limited fossil fuel reserves plans to expand nuclear electricity generation. The proposed reactors will use fuel fabricated from mined uranium ore. Which fuel source is most directly associated with typical commercial nuclear fission reactors today?
A city uses permeable pavement in parking lots; what is the primary hydrologic benefit?
In a geothermal power plant scenario, cold water is injected into deep hot rock, heated by Earth's internal heat, and then brought back up to the surface as hot water/steam to spin a turbine connected to a generator. Which choice best describes the mechanism by which geothermal energy becomes electricity in this setup?
After a wildfire, grasses colonize first, then shrubs, then trees. What concept does this sequence illustrate?
Which best explains why thermal pollution can increase the toxicity of some pollutants?
Hydrogen is labeled an "energy carrier"; which statement best supports this classification?
In a coastal Arctic community, scientists detect polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins in seals and in the blood of people who eat the seals, even though the nearest industrial sources are thousands of kilometers away. These chemicals are regulated under the Stockholm Convention and are known to be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (POPs). Which statement best explains why PCBs and dioxins can become concentrated in top predators in this remote region?
A region becomes drier after a new mountain range forms upwind; which change best explains the drying?
A forest has GPP of $2{,}800\ \text{g C m}^{-2}\text{yr}^{-1}$ and NPP of $1{,}900\ \text{g C m}^{-2}\text{yr}^{-1}$ . Which value best represents producer respiration?
On an island, immigration rate decreases as species richness increases (fewer new species remain to colonize), and extinction rate increases as richness increases (more competition). According to island biogeography theory, the equilibrium number of species occurs when:
A new runway shifts flight paths over wetlands; which wildlife impact is most plausible?
A lab study exposes two groups of mussels to the same low PCB concentration in seawater. Group 1 is sampled after 1 week; Group 2 is sampled after 6 months. Group 2 has much higher PCB levels in its tissues. Which best explains the difference?
A coastal site shows strong tidal influence and a salinity gradient: 0.5% upstream, 1.8% mid-channel, and 3.2% near the mouth. The water is typically nutrient-rich and supports high primary productivity. Which biome is being described?
A panda depends on bamboo; a coyote eats varied foods. What ecological concept distinguishes them?

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