Learn Extracted exam questions AP Environmental Science 2022 Free Response · Set 1
2022 Free Response · Set 1
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Common snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina, are primarily aquatic, but they lay their eggs on land. Researchers are interested in understanding the impact of pollution on turtle nesting sites. The researchers examined nesting sites at two agricultural areas along the floodplain of a river upstream and downstream from a chemical factory that is a known source of aqueous mercury pollution. Turtle eggs, soil, and vegetation samples taken from areas around turtle nests downstream from the chemical factory showed high levels of mercury in a previous study. Mercury was not detected in samples taken upstream from the chemical factory.
[Diagram: "DISTRIBUTION OF TURTLE NESTS ALONG RIVER." A map shows a river winding from top to bottom with an arrow labeled "Direction of Flow" pointing downstream. A "Chemical Factory" sits beside the river partway down, with a "Discharge Pipe" emptying into the river at that point. Along the riverbank are forested strips labeled "Forest Area" (trees drawn as small pine-tree and round-tree icons). "Area A" is a region upstream of the chemical factory's discharge point (bounded by dashed lines), shown with many nest markers clustered together: a mix of filled circles (●) labeled "Successful turtle nest" and X marks (✕) labeled "Unsuccessful turtle nest" in the legend — Area A shows a dense cluster of both successful (●) and unsuccessful (✕) nests close together in the forest area. "Area B" is a region downstream of the chemical factory's discharge point (bounded by dashed lines), shown with a sparser, more scattered mix of successful (●) and unsuccessful (✕) nest markers, with unsuccessful (✕) nests appearing more numerous/closer to the river relative to successful (●) nests, which sit farther back. Legend box: "● Successful turtle nest" and "✕ Unsuccessful turtle nest."]
Identify the area with the greatest nest success rate, based on the information in the diagram.
Identify the dependent variable in the study.
Based on the information provided, identify a likely scientific question for the study.
Describe why researchers measured mercury levels in locations upstream from the factory.
There are plans to remove trees and other vegetation along the river bank. Explain how this modification could affect the location and number of successful turtle nests in Area B.
Mercury can affect organisms and ecosystems in many ways. Describe how a persistent pollutant, such as mercury, can negatively affect an organism.
Describe how a persistent pollutant, such as mercury, can negatively affect an ecosystem.
Researchers measured methylmercury in a location downstream from the factory. Explain how methylmercury could be present in the stream.
Researchers claimed that the soil nearest to the river has higher levels of mercury than the field has, and those elevated levels have affected the nesting success for turtles. Explain how the pattern shown in the diagram supports or refutes this claim.
The turtle study was conducted in an agricultural area. Describe how a specific agricultural practice changes the soil in an area.
Developments in advanced hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technologies have allowed the total oil and gas production in the United States to increase rapidly.
[Scatter graph titled "METHANE CONCENTRATION IN DRINKING WATER WELLS IN PENNSYLVANIA." Y-axis: "Methane Concentration in Well Water (mg/L)," scale 0 to 70 in increments of 10. X-axis: "Distance to Nearest Fracking Well (m)," scale 0 to 6,000 in increments of 1,000. A horizontal reference line is drawn at y = 10 mg/L, with an upward arrow above it labeled "Hazardous concentrations, mitigation required" and a downward arrow below it labeled "No mitigation required." Data points (labeled "Well water sample" in the legend, shown as filled circles ●) are heavily concentrated at small distances (roughly 0–500 m) with methane concentrations ranging widely from near 0 up to about 64 mg/L (points near approximately 64, 60, 53, 52, 51, 42, 34, 33, 29, 24, 20, and several points below 10 clustered near x = 0–300 m). A few points appear farther out: around x ≈ 1,300–1,500 m with y ≈ 13–17 mg/L, and isolated lower points scattered out to about x = 3,600 m (y ≈ 6), x = 3,700 m (y ≈ 3), and x = 4,300 m (y ≈ 1), with most points beyond about x = 1,000 m sitting at or near y = 0, extending out to about x = 5,700 m.]
The graph shows the methane concentration in drinking water from home wells and the distance to the nearest fracking well in Pennsylvania. Based on the data in the graph, identify the highest methane concentration found in well water in Pennsylvania.
Based on the data in the graph, describe the relationship between the concentration of methane in well water and the distance to a fracking well.
Based on the data in the graph, identify the minimum safe distance that a new water well should be located from an existing fracking well.
Explain how fracking fluid is used to access oil and natural gas in sedimentary rock, such as shale, during the fracking process.
Identify one negative geologic effect in an area where hydraulic fracturing (fracking) occurs.
The volume of water used for oil and gas extraction is 28 times greater than it was fifteen years ago. Much of the water used for oil and gas extraction comes from groundwater sources in arid or semiarid regions. This increased use of water for fracking may mean that less water is available for local use. The use of groundwater for fracking is an example of individuals using a shared resource for their own self-interest. Identify the environmental concept illustrated by this example of overuse of a shared resource.
Describe one environmental problem that may result from increased use of groundwater for fracking in arid or semiarid regions.
Describe how overuse of coastal groundwater supplies can result in water that is unsuitable for human consumption.
In addition to water quality issues caused by fossil fuel extraction, air quality can also be negatively affected by combustion of oil and natural gas. Make a claim for a realistic governmental action to improve air quality by reducing consumption of oil.
Justify the action proposed in part (c)(i) by stating a potential environmental advantage of that action, other than slowing global climate change.
Increasing global urbanization causes associated problems such as the formation of urban heat islands.
Describe how urbanization leads to the formation of urban heat islands.
Urban heat islands have been linked to a variety of environmental problems. Propose a reasonable solution that could help lower the temperature increases caused by urban heat islands.
Justify the solution proposed in part (b)(i) by providing one additional benefit other than reducing temperatures in urban heat islands.
Urban areas are increasingly using solar energy to generate electricity for residences and businesses. As a result of improved technology, the efficiency of solar panels has changed over time. In 1992 a solar cell had a maximum efficiency of 15.9%. In 2017 a solar cell prototype capable of 44.5% efficiency was produced. Calculate the percent change in efficiency from the 1992 cell to the 2017 cell. Show your work.
The average home in the United States uses 12,900 kWh of electricity per year. The local power company is raising the cost of purchasing electricity from $0.11 per kWh to$0.13 per kWh. Assuming a home uses the average kWh of electricity in one year, calculate the change in electricity cost for one year for the homeowner. Show your work.
The roof of a typical house in the United States receives a total of four hours of sunlight per day that can be converted by solar panels into electricity. A house has 30 solar panels on its roof, and each panel generates a maximum output of 300 watts. Calculate how many kWh can be produced by the system at maximum output in one calendar year. Show your work.
Explain why the Northern Hemisphere receives more solar energy from the Sun between June and August than the Southern Hemisphere receives between June and August.