Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activities, 11th Edition (Fellmann)

Chapter 13: Human Impacts on Natural Systems

Multiple Choice Quiz

Your Results:

The correct answer for each question is indicated by a .

1			The single most critical concern regarding the disposal of radioactive waste is:
			A)	burying wastes on land has led to contamination via leaks from the barrels.
			B)	dumping wastes at sea has resulted in the contamination of the oceans.
			C)	injecting the wastes into deep wells can trigger earthquakes.
			D)	no satisfactory method of disposal has yet been devised.
2			Which of the following does not place growing demands on water supplies?
			A)	agriculture
			B)	hydrologic cycle
			C)	industrialization
			D)	urbanization
3			One possible effect of global warming discussed in your textbook would be:
			A)	an increase in the amount of fresh water throughout the globe.
			B)	an increase in volcanic activity.
			C)	coastal wetlands would be submerged.
			D)	the continental interiors of middle latitudes would receive greater precipitation.
4			The "quiet crisis" is the term given to the:
			A)	depletion of agricultural soil through erosion.
			B)	disposal of sanitary wastes.
			C)	dumping of toxic wastes in approved dumpsites.
			D)	increasing number of earthquakes occurring across the globe.
5			The icebox effect may be created by:
			A)	glaciers.
			B)	thunderstorms.
			C)	volcanoes.
			D)	water vapor.
6			The continent at the greatest risk of desertification is:
			A)	Africa.
			B)	Asia.
			C)	North America.
			D)	South America.
7			Which activity contributes to water pollution more than any other throughout the world?
			A)	agriculture
			B)	hydroelectric power generation
			C)	industry
			D)	urbanization
8			Depletion of the earth's ozone layer is expected to lead to all of the following consequences except:
			A)	increases in the incidence of skin cancer.
			B)	increases in human vulnerability to a variety of infectious diseases.
			C)	threats to the existence of the microscopic plankton at the base of the marine food chain.
			D)	an increase in sea temperatures causing melting of the polar ice caps.
9			With respect to the earth as a system, the hydrosphere is concerned with:
			A)	air.
			B)	rocks.
			C)	vegetation.
			D)	water.
10			Acid rain is primarily a problem of:
			A)	developed nations.
			B)	developing nations.
			C)	primate cities.
			D)	urban areas.
11			The international shipping of hazardous wastes is:
			A)	decreasing.
			B)	increasing.
			C)	nonexistent.
			D)	prohibited.
12			The greenhouse effect is related most closely to:
			A)	increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
			B)	the nutrient enrichment of water.
			C)	the conversion of sulfur dioxides into sulfuric acid in the atmosphere.
			D)	the return of heated water to the environment.
13			The agricultural practice of terracing:
			A)	allows soil to renew its fertility.
			B)	decreases soil erosion.
			C)	increases soil erosion.
			D)	takes large amounts of land out of agricultural production.
14			Acid rain contamination in New England is blamed primarily on:
			A)	increased automobile emissions from states like California.
			B)	midwestern coal-burning power stations and industries.
			C)	global warming.
			D)	recent major volcanic eruptions in Asia.
15			Fresh water accounts for approximately what percentage of total water available?
			A)	less than 1
			B)	10
			C)	30
			D)	56
16			Acid rain has been linked to all of the following except:
			A)	a decline in fish populations in thousands of lakes and streams.
			B)	reduced rates of forest growth.
			C)	respiratory diseases and cancers in humans.
			D)	the depletion of the earth's ozone layer.
17			What percentage of municipal solid waste is disposed of in landfills?
			A)	10
			B)	30
			C)	60
			D)	75
18			An example of a high-level hazardous waste is:
			A)	detergent wastes.
			B)	organic solvents.
			C)	radio-pharmaceutical waste.
			D)	spent nuclear power reactor fuel.
19			Which of the following statements about solid waste is not correct?
			A)	Every method for disposing of such waste has an impact on the environment.
			B)	In North America, the average person produces six pounds of waste per day.
			C)	Modern cultures differ from older ones only by the volume and character of their wastes.
			D)	Much municipal waste is hazardous because it contains toxic chemicals.
20			Acid rain has the greatest potential for damage to surface water in the United States in:
			A)	New England.
			B)	the Dakotas.
			C)	the desert Southwest.
			D)	the Lower Great Lakes.
21			All of the following statements concerning global warming are true except:
			A)	from 1880 to 1980 the mean global temperature rose about 1° F.
			B)	carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now totals 150% of its pre-Industrial Revolution levels.
			C)	the seven warmest years between 1880 and 1991 occurred before 1945.
			D)	global temperatures will continue to rise even if carbon dioxide amounts were stabilized at today's levels.
22			Global warming and climatic change would most adversely affect:
			A)	developing countries highly dependent on agriculture.
			B)	industrialized countries with diversified economies.
			C)	high-latitude areas such as Russia, Scandinavia, and Canada.
			D)	tropical regions of the Earth.
23			The removal of tropical forests is related to all of the following global concerns except:
			A)	their role in maintaining the oxygen and carbon balance of the earth.
			B)	their ability to regulate surface and air temperatures, moisture content, and reflectivity.
			C)	their contribution to the biological diversity of the planet.
			D)	their ability to absorb the chemicals that contribute to depletion of the ozone layer.
24			The combination of decreasing yields, increased stream sediment loads, and downstream deposition of silt on a global basis is evidence of:
			A)	global warming.
			B)	soil erosion.
			C)	desertification.
			D)	tropical deforestation.
25			On a global basis, the areas with the highest moisture deficits are:
			A)	southwestern United States, Southeast Asia, and tropical Africa.
			B)	North Africa, the Middle East, and central China.
			C)	the Middle East, eastern Russia, the Arctic, and Australia
			D)	North Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and the southwestern United States.
26			Large land masses (in width) near the tropics (20N – 20S) tend to have
			A)	tropical wet climates.
			B)	tropical dry climates.
			C)	steppe and deserts climates.
			D)	marine west coast climates.
27			The Greenhouse effect occurs due to
			A)	CO2 deflecting heat away from the earth surface.
			B)	the lack of CO2.
			C)	CO2 reflecting heat back towards the earth's surface.
			D)	ozone attaching itself to the CO2 and replacing a portion of the earth's oxygen.
28			The continent with no deforestation (besides Antarctica) is
			A)	Europe.
			B)	North America.
			C)	South America.
			D)	Asia.
			E)	none of the above.
29			Fresh ground water up to ½ mile below the earth's surface makes up what percentage of the total available water found on the earth?
			A)	48.8%
			B)	2%
			C)	0.65%
			D)	0.32%
30			The concept of the limiting factor
			A)	is the same idea as the concept of "ceteris paribus" used by economists that allows one factor to change and then identify the subsequent results.
			B)	identifies how the factor limits the ill effects of soil erosion, air/water pollution, or other environmental problem on the earth.
			C)	is a manmade rule or gauge when passed sends governments into immediate action through their legislative processes to limit the effects of the factor and its subsequent problems.
			D)	identifies the most deficient factor and determines whether or not the ecosystem can continue to develop under natural undisturbed conditions.

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