Table of Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xi
About the Author xii
Introduction: The Five-Step Program xiii
Step 1 Set Up Your Study Program 1
How to Approach the AP Environmental Science Exam 3
Background of the Advanced Placement Program 4
Who Writes the AP Environmental Science Exam? 4
Who Takes the AP Environmental Science Exam? 4
Topics and Grading on the AP Environmental Science Exam 4
The Night Before the Exam 6
The Exam 6
2 Planning Your Time 7
Preparing for the AP Environmental Science Exam 7
If You Get Stuck 8
Step 2 Determine Your Test Readiness 11
3 Take a Diagnostic Exam 13
Diagnostic Exam: AP Environmental Science Answer Sheet 15
Diagnostic Exam: AP Environmental Science 17
Answers and Explanations 27
Scoring 30
Step 3 Develop Strategies for Success 31
4 Approaching Each Question Type 33
Multiple-Choice Questions 33
Free-Response Questions 36
Step 4 Discover/Review to Score High 39
5 Earth Science Concepts 41
Investigating Our Environment 41
Geological Time 41
Relative Time 43
Continental Plates 44
Faults 47
Earthquakes 48
Volcanoes 52
Review Questions 55
Answers and Explanations 57
Free-Response Questions 57
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 58
Rapid Review 58
6 Atmospheric Composition 60
Composition 60
Atmospheric Layers 61
Seasons 63
Coriolis Effect 63
Air Pressure 65
Relative Humidity 65
Tornadoes 66
Hurricanes 67
Review Questions 69
Answers and Explanations 71
Free-Response Question 71
Free-Response Answer and Explanations 71
Rapid Review 72
7 Global Water Resources and Use 73
Global Water 73
The Water Cycle 74
Water Consumption 77
Runoff 79
Science Community 80
Population Impact 81
Review Questions 82
Answers and Explanations 84
Free-Response Questions 84
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 85
Rapid Review 85
8 Soil and Soil Dynamics 87
Stratigraphic Classification 87
Igneous Rock 89
Sedimentary Rock 89
Metamorphism 92
Rock Cycle 92
Physical Weathering 93
Joints 94
Soil Erosion 96
Review Questions 99
Answers and Explanations 101
Free-Response Question 101
Free-Response Answer and Explanations 102
Rapid Review 102
9 Ecosystem Structure, Diversity, and Change 103
Biological Populations 103
Climate Change 105
Biosphere 105
Biodiversity 105
Species Evolution 106
Ecological Succession 108
Habitat 109
Hotspots 111
Remote Sensing 113
Review Questions 115
Answers and Explanations 117
Free-Response Question 117
Free-Response Answer and Explanations 117
Rapid Review 118
10 Natural Cycles and Energy Flow 120
Geochemical Cycle 120
Conservation of Matter 120
Residence Time 121
Carbon 121
Calcium 125
Nitrogen 126
Food Chains, Webs, and Trophic Levels 127
Mineral Cycles: Phosphorus and Sulfur 128
Hydrologic Cycle 128
Review Questions 132
Answers and Explanations 134
Free-Response Questions 134
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 135
Rapid Review 135
11 Population Biology and Dynamics 137
Populations 137
Internal Population Factors and Life Span 138
Exponential Growth 139
Carrying Capacity 139
Population Growth 140
Human Population Change 140
Age-Structure Diagrams 141
Population Density 142
Species Adaptation 142
Conservation Biology 143
Impacts of Population Growth 144
Review Questions 145
Answers and Explanations 147
Free-Response Question 147
Free-Response Answer and Explanations 148
Rapid Review 148
12 Agriculture and Aquaculture 150
Human Nutrition 150
Agriculture 151
Pest Control 152
Marine Resources 155
Nonnative (Alien) Species 156
Aquaculture 156
Review Questions 157
Answers and Explanations 159
Free-Response Question 159
Free-Response Answer and Explanations 160
Rapid Review 160
13 Forestry and Rangelands 162
Forests 162
Rangelands 166
Deserts 167
Review Questions 170
Answers and Explanations 172
Free-Response Questions 172
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 173
Rapid Review 173
14 Land Use 175
Land Use 175
Urban Growth Factors 176
Urban Problems 176
Water 177
Ecological Footprint 177
Loss of Coastal Habitat 180
Public and Federal Lands 181
Communal Property 181
Forests 182
Nature Parks and Preserves 182
Wetlands 183
Conservation Methods 184
Mining 185
Review Questions 187
Answers and Explanations 189
Free-Response Questions 189
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 190
Rapid Review 190
15 Energy Consumption, Conservation, and Fossil Fuels 192
Energy 192
Fossil Fuels 193
Oil 195
Natural Gas 196
Coal 197
Review Questions 199
Answers and Explanations 201
Free-Response Questions 201
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 202
Rapid Review 202
16 Nuclear Energy 204
Nuclear Energy 204
Radioactivity 208
Nuclear Disadvantages 209
Regulations 210
Review Questions 210
Answers and Explanations 212
Free-Response Questions 213
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 213
Rapid Review 214
17 Alternative and Renewable Energies 215
Clean Fuels 215
Solar Energy 217
Wind Energy 219
Hydroelectric Power 220
Geothermal Energy 223
Ocean Tidal Energy 224
Hydrogen Cells 224
Renewable Energy Certificates 224
Review Questions 225
Answers and Explanations 227
Free-Response Questions 227
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 228
Rapid Review 229
18 Pollution Types 230
Atmosphere 230
Air Pollution 231
Water 232
Solid Waste 239
Recycling 239
Hazardous Waste 240
Disposal and Storage 240
Acid Rain 241
Oil Slicks, Radioactivity, and Thermal Problems 242
Noise Pollution 242
Looking to the Future 243
Green Taxes 244
Review Questions 244
Answers and Explanations 246
Free-Response Questions 246
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 247
Rapid Review 247
19 Global Change and Economics 249
Greenhouse Effect 249
Carbon 253
Greenhouse Gas Inventories 254
Ozone 255
Climate Change 257
Global Economics 257
Review Questions 258
Answers and Explanations 260
Free-Response Questions 260
Free-Response Answers and Explanations 261
Rapid Review 261
Step 5 Build Your Test-Taking Confidence 263
Practice Exam 1-Multiple-Choice Questions Answer Sheet 265
Practice Exam 1-Multiple-Choice Questions 267
Practice Exam 1-Free-Response Questions 276
Practice Exam 1-Multiple-Choice Answers 278
Practice Exam 1-Free-Response Answers 281
Practice Exam 2-Multiple-Choice Questions Answer Sheet 283
Practice Exam 2-Multiple-Choice Questions 285
Practice Exam 2-Free-Response Questions 294
Practice Exam 2-Multiple-Choice Answers 295
Practice Exam 2-Free-Response Answers 298
Appendixes 301
Units and Conversion Factors 303
Acronyms 306
Bibliography 312
Websites 313
Index 317
