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OpenStem
@openstem · Joined Jul 2026
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Quiz5 questions
What is environmental justice?
AThe principle that all people deserve equal protection from environmental hazards, regardless of race or incomeBA law that only applies to national parksCA tax on polluting companiesDA term for lawsuits between two companies over resources
Environmental · L2 · Environmental Justice
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Environmental · L2 · Environmental JusticeQuiz5 questions
Roughly what fraction of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?
A~1%B~10%C~50%D~90%
Environmental · L3 · Trophic Levels & Energy Pyramids
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Environmental · L3 · Trophic Levels & Energy PyramidsQuiz5 questions
Why can't most organisms use atmospheric N₂ directly?
AN₂ is toxic to most organismsBN₂'s triple bond is too strong for most organisms to breakCThere isn't enough N₂ in the atmosphereDN₂ only exists in soil, not air
Environmental · L3 · The Nitrogen Cycle
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Environmental · L3 · The Nitrogen CycleQuiz5 questions
What is the key structural difference between the phosphorus cycle and the nitrogen/carbon cycles?
APhosphorus is radioactiveBPhosphorus has no significant atmospheric (gas) phaseCPhosphorus is only found in animalsDPhosphorus does not exist in rock
Environmental · L3 · The Phosphorus Cycle
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Environmental · L3 · The Phosphorus CycleQuiz5 questions
What shape does an exponentially growing population's curve take?
AS-shaped (sigmoid)BJ-shaped, accelerating without limitCA flat lineDA downward slope
Environmental · L3 · Population Ecology & Carrying Capacity
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Environmental · L3 · Population Ecology & Carrying CapacityQuiz5 questions
Why do greenhouse gases warm the surface more than sunlight alone would?
AThey block incoming sunlight entirelyBThey absorb and re-radiate outgoing longwave (infrared) radiation, trapping some of it near the surfaceCThey increase the Sun's outputDThey have no measurable effect on temperature
Environmental · L3 · Climate Feedback Loops
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Environmental · L3 · Climate Feedback LoopsQuiz5 questions
A solar farm rated at 50 MW produces an average of 11 MW over a year. What is its capacity factor?
A11%B22%C50%D61%
Environmental · L3 · Renewable Energy Technologies
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Environmental · L3 · Renewable Energy TechnologiesQuiz5 questions
Why is PM2.5 generally considered more hazardous than PM10 at the same mass concentration?
APM2.5 particles are heavierBPM2.5 particles are small enough to reach deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstreamCPM2.5 only occurs indoorsDPM10 is chemically more toxic per particle
Environmental · L3 · Air Quality Index & Pollutants
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Environmental · L3 · Air Quality Index & PollutantsQuiz5 questions
What are the two nutrients most commonly responsible for triggering eutrophication?
ACarbon and oxygenBNitrogen and phosphorusCSulfur and potassiumDCalcium and iron
Environmental · L3 · Water Quality & Eutrophication
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Environmental · L3 · Water Quality & EutrophicationQuiz5 questions
What was a key limitation of the Kyoto Protocol's structure?
AIt set binding targets only for developed nations, and the US never ratified itBIt had no targets of any kindCIt applied only to developing nationsDIt required no international cooperation at all
Environmental · L3 · Environmental Policy & International Agreements
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Environmental · L3 · Environmental Policy & International AgreementsQuiz5 questions
What is the key difference between primary and secondary succession?
APrimary succession only happens in water; secondary only on landBPrimary succession starts on bare substrate with no soil; secondary starts where soil is already presentCPrimary succession is always faster than secondary successionDThere is no meaningful difference between them
Environmental · L3 · Ecological Succession
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Environmental · L3 · Ecological SuccessionQuiz5 questions
What is the Brundtland Commission's definition of sustainable development centred on?
AMaximising short-term economic growthBMeeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needsCEliminating all resource use entirelyDFocusing exclusively on environmental protection
Environmental · L3 · Sustainable Development & the Triple Bottom Line
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Environmental · L3 · Sustainable Development & the Triple Bottom LineQuiz5 questions
What two criteria must a region meet to be classified as a biodiversity hotspot?
AAt least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species AND at least 70% original habitat already lostBAt least 100 endangered animal species onlyCBeing located in a tropical climate zoneDHaving no human population at all
Environmental · L3 · Biodiversity Hotspots & Extinction Rates
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Environmental · L3 · Biodiversity Hotspots & Extinction RatesQuiz5 questions
What best describes a 'linear economy'?
AMaterials are extracted, made into products, used, and discarded in a one-way flowBMaterials are continuously reused and recycled in a closed loopCAn economy with no manufacturing sectorDAn economy that only trades in recycled materials
Environmental · L3 · Waste Management & the Circular Economy
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Environmental · L3 · Waste Management & the Circular EconomyQuiz5 questions
What is the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) on a glacier?
AThe elevation where accumulation exactly equals ablation over a yearBThe highest point on the glacierCThe sea-level elevation the glacier's meltwater eventually reachesDThe average annual snowfall depth
Environmental · L3 · Glacial Mass Balance & Sea-Level Contribution
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Environmental · L3 · Glacial Mass Balance & Sea-Level ContributionQuiz5 questions
What directly causes ocean pH to fall as the ocean absorbs more atmospheric CO₂?
ACO₂ reacting with seawater to release hydrogen ions (H⁺)BRising sea temperature aloneCSalt being removed from seawaterDOxygen being added to seawater
Environmental · L3 · Ocean Acidification
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Environmental · L3 · Ocean AcidificationQuiz5 questions
What role do zooxanthellae normally play for a healthy coral?
AThey provide up to ~90% of the coral's energy through photosynthesis, and give it its colourBThey are parasites that weaken the coralCThey only provide colour, with no energy contributionDThey protect coral from predators only
Environmental · L3 · Coral Bleaching Mechanism
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Environmental · L3 · Coral Bleaching MechanismQuiz5 questions
Why does organic matter accumulate as peat in wetland soils instead of fully decomposing?
AWetland soils are too cold for any decompositionBWaterlogging excludes oxygen, slowing decomposition far below the rate plant matter is producedCWetland plants don't produce organic matterDPeat is actually inorganic sediment, not decayed plant matter
Environmental · L3 · Wetlands as Carbon Sinks & Nutrient Filters
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Environmental · L3 · Wetlands as Carbon Sinks & Nutrient FiltersQuiz5 questions
What distinguishes a confined aquifer from an unconfined aquifer?
AA confined aquifer is sandwiched between impermeable layers; an unconfined aquifer has no impermeable layer above itBA confined aquifer contains no water at allCAn unconfined aquifer cannot be pumped for waterDThere is no meaningful difference between the two
Environmental · L3 · Groundwater Hydrology
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Environmental · L3 · Groundwater HydrologyQuiz5 questions
What does a surface's albedo measure?
AThe fraction of incoming sunlight it reflectsBIts total surface areaCHow much water it can absorbDIts thermal conductivity
Environmental · L3 · Urban Heat Island: Quantitative Drivers & Mitigation
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Environmental · L3 · Urban Heat Island: Quantitative Drivers & MitigationQuiz5 questions
What does 'cradle-to-grave' mean in a life-cycle assessment?
AOnly the manufacturing stage is assessedBThe assessment covers the full life span, from raw material extraction to final disposalCOnly the disposal stage is assessedDThe product is assessed only while in use
Environmental · L3 · Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)
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Environmental · L3 · Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)Quiz5 questions
What question does the 'screening' stage of an EIA answer?
AWhether the proposed project requires a full EIA at allBWhat the final mitigation measures should beCWhether the project has already been approvedDThe exact cost of the project
Environmental · L3 · Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
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Environmental · L3 · Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)Quiz5 questions
What unit is used to measure both ecological footprint and biocapacity, and why?
AOrdinary hectares, because all land is equally productiveBGlobal hectares (gha), a standardised world-average-productivity unit that lets different land types be compared fairlyCSquare kilometres, based purely on land areaDLitres, based on water use only
Environmental · L3 · Ecological Footprint & Biocapacity
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Environmental · L3 · Ecological Footprint & BiocapacityQuiz5 questions
What is the key difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification?
ABioaccumulation builds up in one organism over time; biomagnification is the concentration increase across trophic levelsBThey are two names for the exact same processCBioaccumulation only happens in plants; biomagnification only in animalsDBiomagnification happens within a single organism; bioaccumulation happens across a food chain
Environmental · L3 · Bioaccumulation & Biomagnification
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Environmental · L3 · Bioaccumulation & BiomagnificationQuiz5 questions
What is the key difference between a passive and an active remote sensing instrument?
AA passive sensor detects existing reflected/emitted energy; an active sensor emits its own energy and measures the returnBA passive sensor only works at nightCAn active sensor cannot detect vegetationDThere is no meaningful difference
Environmental · L3 · Environmental Monitoring & Remote Sensing
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Environmental · L3 · Environmental Monitoring & Remote SensingQuiz5 questions
What does a GCM (General Circulation Model) do, conceptually?
AIt divides the atmosphere/ocean into a 3D grid and solves physical equations per cell, stepping forward through timeBIt simply averages historical temperature recordsCIt only models the atmosphere, never the oceanDIt predicts weather for a specific day years in advance
Environmental · L3 · Climate Models & Scenario Projections
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Environmental · L3 · Climate Models & Scenario ProjectionsQuiz5 questions
What is potential evapotranspiration (PET)?
AThe water that would evaporate/transpire if supply were unlimited — the atmosphere's evaporative demandBThe exact amount of rain that fell in a yearCThe water actually evaporated given real supply constraintsDA measure of underground water storage
Environmental · L3 · Desert Ecosystems: Water Balance & Adaptations
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Environmental · L3 · Desert Ecosystems: Water Balance & AdaptationsQuiz10 questions
Which gas is the single most important contributor to the natural greenhouse effect?
ACarbon dioxide (CO₂)BMethane (CH₄)CWater vapour (H₂O)DNitrous oxide (N₂O)
Environmental · L4 · Climate & Atmosphere — 10 Q
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Environmental · L4 · Climate & Atmosphere — 10 QQuiz9 questions
At which type of plate boundary is new oceanic crust continuously created?
AConvergent boundary (subduction zone)BTransform boundary (strike-slip fault)CDivergent boundary (mid-ocean ridge)DHotspot (mantle plume)
Environmental · L4 · Geology & Plate Tectonics — 10 Q
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Environmental · L4 · Geology & Plate Tectonics — 10 QQuiz5 questions
What domain of life do methanogens belong to?
ABacteriaBArchaeaCFungiDProtista
Environmental · L4 · Environmental Microbiology — 5 Q
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Environmental · L4 · Environmental Microbiology — 5 Q