Illinois State University Environmental Science Multiple Choice Questions

Question Description

Question 1 of 453 Points

What are the four categories of pollutants in raw sewage?

A. bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi
B. phosphates, nitrates, sulfates, and metals
C. debris and grit, particulate organic materials, colloidal and dissolved organic chemicals, dissolved inorganic chemicals
D. heavy metals, organics, non-biodegradable compounds, volatile compounds

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Question 2 of 452 Points

Which of the following would be considered a behavioral or cultural hazard?

A. exposure to pesticides during mosquito control efforts
B. living in an area inhabited by mosquitoes that carry Nile fever
C. cigarette smoking by college students
D. living in an area frequented by tornados

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Question 3 of 452 Points

Describe the effects of pollution on lakes.

A. as the amount of pollution increases, lakes become oligotrophic
B. as the amount of pollution increases, lakes become eutrophic
C. as the amount of pollution increases, lakes become gonadotropic
D. the amount of pollution has no effects on lakes

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Question 4 of 453 Points

In the U.S., most sewage now receives

A. preliminary treatment, but no more
B. preliminary and primary treatment, but no more
C. preliminary, primary, and secondary treatment, but no more
D. preliminary, primary, secondary and advanced treatments

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Question 5 of 452 Points

The best way to ensure an adequate supply of water is by

A. desalination.
B. drill more wells.
C. Reduce pollution of water and conserve.
D. towing icebergs from polar regions

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Question 6 of 452 Points

Australia doing all of the following to combat a massive drought except what?

A. They subsidize water efficient appliances, like dual flush toilets
B. They ban outdoor car washing & watering lawns during droughts
C. They use cisterns for rain water & in some cases drink treated sewage
D. They initiated a massive well drilling campaign that will cost over 10 billion dollars.

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Question 7 of 452 Points

All of the following would characterize a waste-prevention system except

A. use of returnable bottles.
B. putting yard wastes in landfills.
C. taxes on gas-guzzling cars and throwaway products.
D. reducing the amount of packaging used to sell products.

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Question 8 of 452 Points

What substance was controlled in the Water Quality Act of 1987?

A. storm water
B. sewage sludge
C. oil pollution of groundwater
D. all of the above

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Question 9 of 452 Points

BPA is a hormone disrupter commonly found in ___

A. plastics.
B. pesticides
C. gasoline
D. drugs.

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Question 10 of 452 Points

It is estimated that as much as half of all “Superfund” moneys spend go for

A. research on new clean up technologies.
B. excavation and removal of contaminated soils.
C. legal costs.
D. drilling extraction wells.

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Question 11 of 453 Points

Kristianstad, Sweden did all of the following to manage solid waste, except:

A. Built a biogas plant that uses household food waste, slaughterhouse waste, & manure.
B. Produced methane gas from their old landfill.
C. Closed all waste incinerators due to air pollution concerns.
D. Switched most city buses so they can run on biogas.

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Question 12 of 452 Points

Which of the following are ways that can reduce the amount of water used in manufacturing?

A. use recycled water
B. redesign manufacturing processes to use less water
C. repair plumbing leaks
D. all of these answers

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Question 13 of 452 Points

Malaria is caused by

A. breathing contaminated air
B. the bite of an infected mosquito
C. drinking contaminated water
D. all of the above

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Question 14 of 452 Points

Porous water-saturated layers of underground rock, sand, or gravel are known as

A. aquifers
B. watersheds
C. cones of depression
D. all of the above

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Question 15 of 452 Points

Of the following, which is the most ecologically responsible way to dispose of sewage sludge?

A. incineration
B. conventional landfills
C. treating with heat and using as lawn fertilizer
D. dumping into the deep trenches of the ocean

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Question 16 of 452 Points

The only effective way to protect groundwater is to

A. prevent contamination
B. use monitoring wells
C. treat all water from underground sources
D. inject pollution eating bacteria into the water

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Question 17 of 453 Points

The total product life cycle refers to:

A. the average length of time we keep our cars before we get a new one.
B. the process of taking raw materials, processing them into products, using them and disposing of them.
C. the inefficiency due to excessive federal regulations affecting industries.
D. there is no such thing as total product life cycle.