Practice Test 7 - AP Environmental Science
20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.
- A soil layer is described as mineral soil mixed with humus, dark in color, and the primary zone of biological activity and roots. Which horizon is this?
- A coal-fired power plant in Ohio must comply with Clean Air Act limits on sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. Stack monitoring shows SO2 concentrations are still high even after adding equipment that captures ash. Which control technology should the plant install to most directly reduce SO2 from the flue gas before it exits the smokestack?
- A city wants to reduce runoff pollution and volume from a large parking lot. Which paired retrofit is most likely to reduce runoff volume and also promote pollutant removal through settling and filtration?
- A dose-response curve for a toxin is shown. Which dose is most likely to produce about 50% mortality?
- A planet's atmosphere becomes thinner (lower pressure) while its composition stays the same. All else equal, what change would you expect in the greenhouse effect strength? Context: Greenhouse effect depends on the amount of IR-absorbing gases present in the atmospheric column.
- A biome is dominated by shrubs and small trees adapted to drought and fire. Compared with tropical rainforest, this biome typically has:
- A marine reserve manager wants to reduce climate-related risks to reef fish populations. Given ongoing ocean warming, which strategy best aligns with expected species migration patterns?
- A country's age-structure diagram is strongly triangular (very wide base, narrow top). If the country suddenly achieves replacement-level fertility today, what would most likely happen to total population size over the next few decades?
- A long-lived tree species in a mature forest produces relatively few large seeds and invests in chemical defenses and shade tolerance. Which statement best connects these traits to K-selection?
- A city's population grows, increasing wastewater; which treatment step primarily reduces pathogens?
- A line graph (years 1750–2025) shows global human population rising slowly until ~1800, then increasing rapidly to ~8.0 billion by 2025, with the slope beginning to decrease after ~1990. Which interpretation best matches this curve in terms of growth pattern and demographic transition? Context: The Industrial Revolution increased food production and public health; many high-income countries have completed the demographic transition while many low-income countries are in middle stages.
- Two neighboring cities have similar vehicle traffic (NOx and VOC emissions). City X has hot, sunny afternoons and frequent temperature inversions with stagnant air. City Y is cooler, cloudier, and breezy. Both monitor ground-level ozone. In which city and under which conditions would photochemical smog be most severe, and why?
- A wetland's plants take up excess phosphorus, reducing the risk of eutrophication in a downstream lake. Which ecosystem service category best describes this function?
- A municipal wastewater plant sends influent through bar screens and then into a large rectangular tank where flow slows and heavy solids settle to the bottom as sludge while oils and grease float and are skimmed. Which treatment stage is being described?
- A biofuel refinery uses crop residues; which sustainability metric best addresses soil health concerns?
- A population of humans in a developed country typically exhibits which survivorship curve type?
- An ecologist compares two organic pollutants: Chemical X breaks down in days; Chemical Y (similar to DDT) remains for years, accumulates in fat, and causes reproductive harm in wildlife. Which conclusion is most supported?
- A city compares district heating from waste heat vs natural gas boilers; which statement best describes waste-heat use as an energy strategy?
- A PV manufacturer describes the process where sunlight frees charge carriers in a semiconductor junction, creating a voltage and current. What is this effect called?
- A country's offshore oil production declines; which shift is most consistent with resource distribution realities?