AP®︎ Environmental Science: Unit 7 Practice Test
Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with focused practice questions on Unit 7 of AP Environmental Science – Atmospheric Pollution.
Questions List
Unit 7 (All Topics)
Question 1 Topic 7.1Easy
This question tests the following: STB-2.A.1
What is primarily released during coal combustion?
What You’re Being Tested On:
Explore the learning objectives taken directly from the College Board’s AP® Environmental Science Curriculum. Ensure you’re prepared for the exact topics covered on the AP® exam, in-class tests, and quizzes, and gain confidence in your mastery of the material.
Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution
This unit focuses on sources and types of atmospheric pollution, including smog, acid rain, and strategies for mitigation.
Topic 7.1: Introduction to Air Pollution
Learning Objective: STB-2.A
Identify the sources and effects of air pollutants.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.A.1
Coal combustion releases air pollutants including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, toxic metals, and particulates.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.A.2
The combustion of fossil fuels releases nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. They lead to the production of ozone, formation of photochemical smog, and convert to nitric acid in the atmosphere, causing acid rain. Other pollutants produced by fossil fuel combustion include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.A.3
Air quality can be affected through the release of sulfur dioxide during the burning of fossil fuels, mainly diesel fuels.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.A.4
Through the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated the use of lead, particularly in fuels, which dramatically decreased the amount of lead in the atmosphere.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.A.5
Air pollutants can be primary or secondary pollutants.
Topic 7.2: Photochemical Smog
Learning Objective: STB-2.B
Explain the causes and effects of photochemical smog and methods to reduce it.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.1
Photochemical smog is formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic hydrocarbons react with heat and sunlight to produce a variety of pollutants.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.2
Many environmental factors affect the formation of photochemical smog.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.3
Nitrogen oxide is produced early in the day. Ozone concentrations peak in the afternoon and are higher in the summer because ozone is produced by chemical reactions between oxygen and sunlight.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.4
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde and gasoline, evaporate or sublimate at room temperature. Trees are a natural source of VOCs.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.5
Photochemical smog often forms in urban areas because of the large number of motor vehicles there.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.6
Photochemical smog can be reduced through the reduction of nitrogen oxide and VOCs.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.B.7
Photochemical smog can harm human health in several ways, including causing respiratory problems and eye irritation.
Topic 7.3: Thermal Inversion
Learning Objective: STB-2.C
Describe thermal inversion and its relationship with pollution.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.C.1
During a thermal inversion, the normal temperature gradient in the atmosphere is altered as the air temperature at the Earth’s surface is cooler than the air at higher altitudes.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.C.2
Thermal inversion traps pollution close to the ground, especially smog and particulates.
Topic 7.4: Atmospheric CO₂ and Particulates
Learning Objective: STB-2.D
Describe natural sources of CO₂ and particulates.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.D.1
CO₂ appears naturally in the atmosphere from sources such as respiration, decomposition, and volcanic eruptions.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.D.2
There are a variety of natural sources of particulate matter.
Topic 7.5: Indoor Air Pollutants
Learning Objective: STB-2.E
Identify indoor air pollutants.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.1
Carbon monoxide is an indoor air pollutant that is classified as an asphyxiant.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.2
Indoor air pollutants that are classified as particulates include asbestos, dust, and smoke.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.3
Indoor air pollutants can come from natural sources, human-made sources, and combustion.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.4
Common natural source indoor air pollutants include radon, mold, and dust.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.5
Common human-made indoor air pollutants include insulation, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from furniture, paneling and carpets; formaldehyde from building materials, furniture, upholstery, and carpeting; and lead from paints.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.6
Common combustion air pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulates, and tobacco smoke.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.E.7
Radon-222 is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced by the decay of uranium found in some rocks and soils.
Learning Objective: STB-2.F
Describe the effects of indoor air pollutants.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.F.1
Radon gas can infiltrate homes as it moves up through the soil and enters homes via the basement or cracks in the walls or foundation. It is also dissolved in groundwater that enters homes through a well.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.F.2
Exposure to radon gas can lead to radon-induced lung cancer, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America.
Topic 7.6: Reduction of Air Pollutants
Learning Objective: STB-2.G
Explain how air pollutants can be reduced at the source.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.G.1
Methods to reduce air pollutants include regulatory practices, conservation practices, and alternative fuels.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.G.2
A vapor recovery nozzle is an air pollution control device on a gasoline pump that prevents fumes from escaping into the atmosphere when fueling a motor vehicle.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.G.3
A catalytic converter is an air pollution control device for internal combustion engines that converts pollutants (CO, NOx, and hydrocarbons) in exhaust into less harmful molecules (CO₂, N₂, O₂, and H₂O).
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.G.4
Wet and dry scrubbers are air pollution control devices that remove particulates and/or gases from industrial exhaust streams.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.G.5
Methods to reduce air pollution from coal-burning power plants include scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators.
Topic 7.7: Acid Rain
Learning Objective: STB-2.H
Describe acid deposition.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.H.1
Acid rain and deposition is due to nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides from anthropogenic and natural sources in the atmosphere.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.H.2
Nitrogen oxides that cause acid deposition come from motor vehicles and coal-burning power plants. Sulfur dioxides that cause acid deposition come from coal-burning power plants.
Learning Objective: STB-2.I
Describe the effects of acid deposition on the environment.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.I.1
Acid deposition mainly affects communities that are downwind from coal-burning power plants.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.I.2
Acid rain and deposition can lead to the acidification of soils and bodies of water and corrosion of human-made structures.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.I.3
Regional differences in soils and bedrock affect the impact that acid deposition has on the region—such as limestone bedrock's ability to neutralize the effect of acid rain on lakes and ponds.
Topic 7.8: Noise Pollution
Learning Objective: STB-2.J
Describe human activities that result in noise pollution and its effects.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.J.1
Noise pollution is sound at levels high enough to cause physiological stress and hearing loss.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.J.2
Sources of noise pollution in urban areas include transportation, construction, and domestic and industrial activity.
Essential Knowledge: STB-2.J.3
Some effects of noise pollution on animals in ecological systems include stress, the masking of sounds used to communicate or hunt, damaged hearing, and causing changes to migratory routes.
