Exam
Name___________________________________

MULTIPLE CHOICE.  Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 

Use the accompanying figure to answer the following questions.

1) 

How many citizens of Haiti does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the average citizen of the United States? 

1) 

_______ 

A) 

They are essentially equal. 

B) 

It takes over 100 Haitian citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen. 

C) 

Six citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen. 

D) 

Ten citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of one average U.S. citizen. 

E) 

Twelve citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen. 

2) 

Nearly 50% of the land on our planet is currently used for agriculture, with very little more agriculturally usable land available. If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of the United States, then ________. 

2) 

_______ 

A) 

we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone 

B) 

we would have 50% more food to go around 

C) 

we could support 50% more people on our planet 

D) 

about 50% of the people would starve 

E) 

we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty, using the other 50% of the land currently not being used 

3) 

The U.S. average footprint is ________ times larger than the world average footprint.  

3) 

_______ 

A) 

2.7 

B) 

6.7 

C) 

2 

D) 

5 

E) 

3.3 

4) 

The global average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.7 hectares since 2008 including the footprints of many developing nations, such as India and China. This means that ________. 

4) 

_______ 

A) 

the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased 

B) 

some nations no longer have a measurable footprint 

C) 

the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008 

D) 

our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before 

E) 

our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before 

SHORT ANSWER.  Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. 

Match the following.

A)	dependent variable
B)	theory
C)	qualitative data
D)	interdisciplinary science
E)	ecology
F)	prediction
G)	paradigm
H)	quantitative data
I)	independent variable 
J)	social science
K)	environmentalism
L)	hypothesis

5) 

A scientific field of study	 

5)  

_____________ 

6) 

Information expressed with numbers	 

6)  

_____________ 

7) 

The variable that is manipulated	 

7)  

_____________ 

8) 

Expectation of experimental outcome 

8)  

_____________ 

9) 

Widely accepted, well-tested explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships 

9)  

_____________ 

10) 

Type of discipline describing environmental science 

10)  

_____________ 

MULTIPLE CHOICE.  Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 

11) 

A paradigm ________. 

11) 

______ 

A) 

can only come from qualitative data 

B) 

is a means of evaluating scientific hypotheses 

C) 

is a group of several hypotheses that can be tested together  

D) 

is synonymous with the scientific method 

E) 

is a dominant view in science  

12) 

Global population is projected to be about ________ in 2050. 

12) 

______ 

A) 

8 billion 

B) 

10 billion 

C) 

7 billion 

D) 

9 billion 

E) 

11 billion 

13) 

The scientific method is a process that involves ________. 

13) 

______ 

A) 

observation alone 

B) 

testing hypotheses that are built on observations 

C) 

educated guesses 

D) 

quantitative data alone 

E) 

the fact that hypotheses can be proven 

14) 

To determine your specific impacts on the environment, you can ________. 

14) 

______ 

A) 

calculate your ecological footprint 

B) 

measure local air pollution and its impacts on your health 

C) 

determine your current water pollution impact 

D) 

measure the volume and type of all the wastes you contribute to the municipal waste stream 

E) 

calculate the biodiversity of your local community 

15) 

A hypothesis is ________. 

15) 

______ 

A) 

the design of an experiment that can be used in scientific enquiry 

B) 

a proven scientific fact 

C) 

a statement that explains an observed phenomenon or answers a question 

D) 

a prediction about something that has not yet been observed 

E) 

an instrument that is used to examine environmental conditions 

16) 

Sachiko and Fred are having a discussion about the scientific method. Sachiko makes the comment that every time she sees people carrying open umbrellas, she also sees car accidents. This is a(n) ________. 

16) 

______ 

A) 

theory about umbrellas 

B) 

hypothesis	 

C) 

observation 

D) 

scientific study 

E) 

theory about car accidents 

17) 

An experiment ________. 

17) 

______ 

A) 

is an activity designed to test the validity of a hypothesis 

B) 

is designed to generate new scientific hypothesis 

C) 

involves only collection of quantitative data 

D) 

does not need to be repeated if well designed  

E) 

often involves manipulating as many variables as possible 

18) 

In a manipulative experiment ________. 

18) 

______ 

A) 

researchers manipulate as many variables as possible 

B) 

researchers manipulate the independent variable 

C) 

the motive is economic gain, so scientists manipulate the data 

D) 

the peer review process is bypassed 

E) 

replication of the experiment is not necessary 

19) 

An environmental scientist is least likely to be involved with which of the following? 

19) 

______ 

A) 

studying the relationship between soil fungi and aspen trees in areas that are being restored after oil sand mining  

B) 

determining the best fuel to generate electricity for a growing city in Arizona 

C) 

launching NASA satellites that monitor changes in carbon dioxide production on Earth 

D) 

studying X-ray emissions for evidence of black holes 

E) 

helping a rancher determine the best ways to rotate herds of cattle to reduce erosion 

20) 

Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science? 

20) 

______ 

A) 

highly specialized and focused 

B) 

integrative and interdisciplinary 

C) 

elitist and unnecessary 

D) 

abstract and theoretical 

E) 

theoretical and controversial 

21) 

In general, natural resources ________. 

21) 

______ 

A) 

should be used efficiently and conserved 

B) 

are evenly divided among all countries 

C) 

should not be used 

D) 

belong only to those on whose property they exist 

E) 

should be used by everyone equally 

22) 

Solutions to environmental problems ________. 

22) 

______ 

A) 

must be short term 

B) 

must be on a local scale 

C) 

are best designed and discussed in the political arena 

D) 

can be implemented only by scientists 

E) 

must be designed with sustainable goals 

23) 

Ruben has a new puppy named Paddington and wants to feed him the best possible food. He decides on an experiment where he will feed Paddington the very best canned food plus a dietary supplement of vitamins recommended by a veterinarian. Which of the following best describes Ruben's project? 

23) 

______ 

A) 

Ruben needs to control for the amount of exercise, sunshine, water, and care that Paddington gets each week, so that they are equal from week to week. 

B) 

Ruben needs to take careful measurements of Paddington's weight and height at least once a week for it to be a good experiment. 

C) 

This is not an experiment–there are no controls or replicates. 

D) 

This is an example of an excellent, controlled experiment as it is written. 

E) 

Ruben needs to use his mother's 6-year-old chocolate Sharpei named Scout to feed a standard diet so he can compare Paddington to a control dog. 

24) 

The process by which several researchers review another researcher's manuscript prior to publication to ensure research quality is referred to as ________. 

24) 

______ 

A) 

peer review 

B) 

critical analysis 

C) 

investigative inquiry 

D) 

hypothesis testing 

E) 

quality control  

25) 

Geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar radiation are all examples of ________. 

25) 

______ 

A) 

biodegradable materials 

B) 

nonrenewable resources 

C) 

renewable environmental resources 

D) 

biotic environmental factors 

E) 

biodiversity 

26) 

Which of the following best embodies the qualities of a scientific theory? 

26) 

______ 

A) 

Dangerous wildfires in California could be avoided by better fire prevention strategies. 

B) 

Students who study for their environmental science exams will perform better on those exams than those who do not. 

C) 

Squirrels in central Illinois prefer to build their nests in oak trees instead of hickory trees. 

D) 

Prairies that have larges herds of bison show greater plant diversity than prairies without bison. 

E) 

All gases, liquids, and solids consist of atoms. 

27) 

Ecosystem services ________. 

27) 

______ 

A) 

are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems 

B) 

are actions humans must take in order to protect and serve the environment 

C) 

are economically valuable services provided by natural systems 

D) 

contribute to keeping ecosystems productive 

E) 

are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed 

28) 

The concept of sustainable development includes ________. 

28) 

______ 

A) 

convenience and global economic improvements 

B) 

the needs of future generations 

C) 

growth in profits from international trade 

D) 

the fastest ways to economic prosperity 

E) 

the importance of developing the arts 

29) 

You have read about the mistakes made on Easter Island. On Tikopia, another small island, the people acted in other ways. When they realized that the pigs they had imported were damaging the environment, they killed them all. They had to have permission from a chief to fish, which prevented overfishing. They also practiced contraception. These actions all indicate that ________. 

29) 

______ 

A) 

they felt that everything was a renewable resource 

B) 

they believed in full resource utilization 

C) 

they were concerned with only one year at a time 

D) 

they truly practiced sustainability 

E) 

they felt that everything was a nonrenewable resource 

30) 

Sustainability ________. 

30) 

______ 

A) 

ensures an economy that will decline over time 

B) 

involves using resources without compromising future availability 

C) 

is beyond our current technology and attitudes 

D) 

is possible given our increased use of fertilizers and technology for agriculture 

E) 

is impossible to accomplish 

31) 

Pesticide use ________. 

31) 

______ 

A) 

may be a necessary part of modern technological agriculture  

B) 

can be eliminated by changing the season when crops are planted  

C) 

poses no environmental threat in this country 

D) 

will not be a problem as we learn to genetically modify predators 

E) 

will be eliminated as pests decrease as a consequence of years of pesticide use 

32) 

In a controlled experiment, ________. 

32) 

______ 

A) 

the researcher controls for the effects of all variables except one 

B) 

you need only a single experimental organism which is tested again and again 

C) 

the researcher knows the outcome before beginning the experiment 

D) 

the researcher controls for the effects of only one variable 

E) 

the researcher has several hypotheses, one of which will be proven correct 

33) 

Qualitative data ________. 

33) 

______ 

A) 

cannot be used to support or disprove hypotheses 

B) 

cannot be replicated 

C) 

can be acquired in the detailed examination of personal interviews or observations 

D) 

have variables that have not been properly manipulated 

E) 

are data that are expressed as numbers and can be tested using statistics 

34) 

A pharmaceutical company wishes to study a possible new headache medicine. They are doing human trials with 1000 volunteers who experience frequent headaches.  The researchers will need to ________. 

34) 

______ 

A) 

control for the type of headache–stress, migraine, or other causes 

B) 

divide the groups by level of health 

C) 

have 10 volunteers in the control group 

D) 

give all 1000 volunteers the same amount of the new medication 

E) 

put all women in the control group and all men in the experimental group 

35) 

A study's results are deemed worthy of acceptance into the body of scientific knowledge if they are published in journals which ________. 

35) 

______ 

A) 

conform to current political and religious views 

B) 

are funded by corporations funding the research 

C) 

meet guidelines advocated by environmentalists or consumer groups 

D) 

use the peer review process 

E) 

charge a high fee for acceptance 

ESSAY.  Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper. 

36) 

Why is it important to understand our interactions with the environment? What will studying environmental science enable you to do? 

37) 

Use the assessment tool at www.ecologicalfootprint.com to calculate your ecological footprint. Once you determine the factors that evaluate your use of water, energy, waste disposal, transportation, and food consumption, use the results of your specific ecological footprint to determine three specific actions you can take to reduce the size of your ecological footprint. Make sure that your specific actions each fit into a different category (water, energy, waste, transportation, and food).  Summarize your assessment. 

38) 

Differentiate between environmental science and environmentalism. Define each term and explain how they are similar and how they differ. 

39) 

Compare and contrast the types of knowledge gained and the research methods of natural and social sciences when considering environmental problems. Why do both types of disciplines need to be a part of environmental science? 

40) 

What qualities are present in an endeavor that is sustainable? 

41) 

Discuss the differences between a manipulative and a natural experiment. 

42) 

You are hired by a pesticide company to determine whether its new pesticide ("Zap-em") is effective at controlling soybean aphids, an invasive species that costs American farmers millions of dollars a year in crop damage and control costs.  Describe an experiment you would perform to test the effectiveness of Zap-em. 

MULTIPLE CHOICE.  Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.

Pablo and Johanna have to do a yearlong study for their biology course. After some discussion, they decide to try comparing their dogs and the diet that they feed them to test their hypothesis that the local veterinarian's special dog food mix will enhance growth and development. Each student adopts a puppy from the local pound. Pablo plans to feed his shepherd-mix dog the special diet, while Johanna plans to use generic dry kibble from the supermarket for her bulldog. 

43) 

The independent variable in this study will be ________. 

43) 

______ 

A) 

the sex of the dogs 

B) 

the age of the dogs 

C) 

the breed of the dogs 

D) 

the type of food the dogs receive 

E) 

how much the dogs grow 

44) 

One dependent variable in this study will be ________. 

44) 

______ 

A) 

the sex of the dogs 

B) 

the age of the dogs 

C) 

the type of food the dogs receive 

D) 

how much the dogs grow 

E) 

the breed of the dogs 

45) 

When they write up their initial proposal, the instructor will probably ________. 

45) 

______ 

A) 

give them an A for thoroughness and allow them to proceed with the experiment 

B) 

give them an F and tell them to start over–it would take many years to do such a study 

C) 

tell them that the proposal is impossible and that such a study cannot be done at all 

D) 

tell them that they need at least 100 dogs to do the study 

E) 

tell them they have some serious problems with the proposal, but it is fixable if they are willing to take care of more dogs 

46) 

Pablo and Johanna have too many ________. 

46) 

______ 

A) 

dependent variables and not enough independent variables 

B) 

replicates and not enough variables 

C) 

controlled variables and not enough uncontrolled variables 

D) 

variables that they didn't control and not enough replicates 

E) 

independent variables and not enough dependent variables 

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.

After meeting with their instructor, Pablo and Johanna know that they need to change their experimental design. They contact a local puppy farm and arrange to do their study with 3-month-old litters of pups from four Irish setters, for a total of 24 puppies consisting of 12 females and 12 males.

47) 

In order to have two groups of puppies (control and experimental), Pablo and Johanna should ________. 

47) 

______ 

A) 

put the 12 females in one group and the 12 males in the other group 

B) 

flip a coin for each dog to see which group it will be in 

C) 

put 6 males and 6 females in each group, with some from each litter in each group 

D) 

randomly choose one dog for the control group and use the other 23 in the experimental group 

E) 

put all the puppies from two of the litters in one group and all of the puppies from the other two litters in the other group 

48) 

Pablo and Johanna should probably run the experiment ________. 

48) 

______ 

A) 

for several months, weighing and measuring the pups before and after 

B) 

for at least three years, weighing and measuring the pups every week 

C) 

for one month, weighing and measuring the pups before and after 

D) 

for several months, weighing and measuring the pups twice every day 

E) 

for several months, weighing and measuring the pups every week 

49) 

If the puppies in the experimental group gain, on average, 3 pounds more than those in the control group over a 4-month period and seem healthier and more energetic, then ________. 

49) 

______ 

A) 

there is a high probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for all dogs 

B) 

they have proven that the kibble diet is best for female dogs 

C) 

they have proven the veterinary diet is best for all dogs 

D) 

there is a high probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for puppies 

E) 

there is a high probability that the kibble is better for puppies 

 

1) 

E 

2) 

A 

3) 

A 

4) 

D 

5) 

E  

6) 

H  

7) 

I  

8) 

F  

9) 

B  

10) 

D 

11) 

E 

12) 

D 

13) 

B 

14) 

A 

15) 

C 

16) 

C 

17) 

A 

18) 

B 

19) 

D 

20) 

B 

21) 

A 

22) 

E 

23) 

C 

24) 

A 

25) 

C 

26) 

E 

27) 

C 

28) 

B 

29) 

D 

30) 

B 

31) 

A 

32) 

A 

33) 

C 

34) 

A 

35) 

D 

36) 

We depend on the environment for air, water, food, shelter, and everything else. We are capable of modifying and harming the environment whether we intend to or not. Understanding our interactions with the environment is the essential first step toward devising positive, sustainable solutions that will allow future generations to enjoy a rich and full world. Studying environmental science will give us the tools we need to evaluate information on environmental change and to think critically and creatively about possible actions to take in response. 

37) 

The answers will vary based on results of individual student lifestyle. Students can reflect on their results and could then consider making lifestyle adjustments that support a greater environmental sustainability. 

38) 

Environmental science is the pursuit of knowledge about the workings of the environment and our interactions with it. Environmentalism is a social concern focused on protecting the natural environment and, by extension, humans, from undesirable changes brought about by certain human choices. Environmental scientists and environmentalists study the same issues, but environmental scientists use an objective scientific approach to understanding environmental problems. Environmentalists, on the other hand, may use dramatic and often emotional approaches to alter the political and social understanding or to educate the public about environmental problems. 

39) 

The natural sciences are made up of disciplines that study the physical and biological facets of the natural world and their interactions with each other. These disciplines rely on all types of studies that generate mainly quantitative data, allowing scientists to acquire and interpret information about the natural world. The social sciences are made up of disciplines that study human behaviors, interactions, and institutions. The scientists in these disciplines mainly collect qualitative data using a variety of research techniques that are similar to natural scientists. Studies that examine how cultures perceive an environmental concept may be used to implement environmental policy. Because environmental problems involve accurate assessment of the scope of the problem by which policy that affects humans is devised, both types of sciences are needed to be a part of environmental science.  

40) 

A sustainable endeavor is one that allows future generations to carry it on at the same level of productivity that we do at present. Whatever natural capital is required will remain equally available in the future as it is now. The environmental effects of the enterprise will not damage, degrade, or deplete the systems with which it interfaces. Materials and energy will be used efficiently, wastes will be minimal and nontoxic, and the ecological footprint of the enterprise will remain unchanged or may diminish as better technology becomes available. 

41) 

In a manipulative experiment, the researcher chooses and manipulates the independent variable while controlling for the effects of other variables, but in a natural experiment the researcher records differences in variables as they are expressed in the natural environment, such as the mean weight of tomatoes grown in dry versus wet climates.  In such experiments, the independent variable varies naturally, and effects of other variables are not necessarily controllable. 

42) 

Students' answers will vary but should include all of the following components
A. replicate plots (It would be inappropriate to test Zap-em on a single field.)
B. treatment and control plots, assigned randomly (Zap-em plots need to be compared to plots not sprayed with Zap-em.)
C. dependent variables to be measured (e.g., crop yield, amount of crop damage, and density of soybean aphids in plots)
D. use of statistical analysis to analyze the data 

43) 

D 

44) 

D 

45) 

E 

46) 

D 

47) 

C 

48) 

E 

49) 

D