Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
human failure to recognize the problem, and the result was a partial meltdown. In the end, the reactor
was brought under control and a total meltdown was avoided.
53. B Solar, hydroelectric, and wind energy produce the least amount of direct emissions compared to oth-
er sources. Assessment of emissions in this situation does not includes emissions from mining, manu-
facturing, transportation, construction, and disposal aspects of the energy generation processes.
54. B The United States consumes close to 25 percent of the world's oil, yet produces about 8 percent of
the world's supply. The large population, combined with the economic ability to consume, feeds this
consumption. Oil is used in large quantities for transportation, industry, and agriculture.
55. A Generalists fulfill a broad niche and can survive in a variety of habitats with a range of resources.
This gives them a better chance of survival in times of environmental change.
56. B Loam is the most effective soil type at retaining water and nutrients at a neutral pH. Loam is a relat-
ively even combination of sand, silt, and clay, giving it a mixture of pore sizes and even soil porosity
and permeability.
57. C Even though ocean fisheries are declining in numbers, boats can still come into dock with full hulls
because fishermen are spending more time fishing. They are also going farther and fishing in deeper
waters. Therefore, fishermen are spending more time and effort to bring in the same numbers of catch
as they did in previous years.
58. C Temperate deciduous forests have fertile soil due to the organic matter that accumulates on the top of
the soil. As leaves are shed from the deciduous trees, they fall to the ground and decompose. The de-
composition of leaves and other dead organic matter such as animal waste, grasses, and tree branches,
returns nutrients to the soil, making it fertile.
59. E Sandy clay loam would describe soil that is 30 percent clay and 70 percent sand. In the soil texture
diagram, the percent clay is on the left side and the percent sand is on the bottom. Follow 30 percent
from the clay and 70 percent from the sand. The resulting soil is sandy clay loam.
60. B Sandy soils are made up of larger particles and have larger pore spaces, so water can flow through
sandy soils easily.
61. A A hazardous waste landfill is widely considered the most effective choice for long-term disposal of
hazardous waste because it is specially designed with a leachate removal system and impermeable liner.
However, this type of landfill acts as a storage option as opposed to a place for the hazardous waste to
break down. Surface impoundments have a tendency to leak waste, and some waste may be blown
away or evaporated. Injection wells can leak into soil and groundwater due to corroded pipes.
62. C A savannah has distinct rainy seasons, creating dramatic variations in annual rainfall. This uneven
distribution of precipitation throughout the year has given savannahs their unique vegetation pattern of
grasses interspersed with patches of trees. In the Northern Hemisphere, most savannah rainfall occurs
from November through March.
63. E Overgrazing can lead to a positive feedback loop where the soil becomes eroded and continues to de-
teriorate. In a positive feedback loop, once a system starts moving in a direction, it continues in that dir-
ection unless there is an intervention to stop the progression. This ultimately drives a system to an ex-
treme, and in this case the extreme is degraded, unusable land.
64. B Deforestation is often higher in tropical rain forests because of the potential economic gain for the
country in which the forest is located. Often, governments sell the rights to their natural resources to in-
ternational buyers as a way to generate additional revenue.
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