CHAPTER1UNDERSTANDINGOURENVIRONMENT.docVIP

Chapter 1 Understanding Our Environment 1. Environmental science is a __________. A. narrowly defined set of physical, life, and social sciences B. theoretical approach in interpreting the environment C. way to see the world in scientific terms D. systematic approach in learning about the environment E. special set of problem-solving skills Answer: D 2. Most environmental problems result from A. excessive pollution. B. complex, interrelated problems. C. technological development problems. D. global warming. E. urban degradation. Answer: B 3. In explaining your choice of an environmental science major in college to your roommate, you would probably emphasize the fact that environmental science is a(n) A. applied interdisciplinary field with an emphasis on solving problems. B. well-established field that has been in existence for a long time. C. theoretical discipline that will help solve the problems created by human impact. D. relatively new field that will identify remedies to environmental issues. E. theoretical field with an emphasis on scientific understanding. Answer: A 4. Ideally, science A. is correct most of the time. C. tells us what we expected to find. B. uses new technology. D. is orderly and methodical. E. proves that our hypotheses are correct. Answer: D 5. The best definition of a hypothesis is a(n) A. proof of a proposed theory. B. proposed theory that has been tested numerous times. C. theory based on experiments. D. argument based on acute intuition. E. proposed explanation based on observation. Answer: E 6. Of the following statements and questions, which is the best example of deductive reasoning? A. If all insects have six legs, then butterflies have six legs. B. In repeated tosses of a coin, there is a 50/50 chance of each toss resulting in a “head.” C. How many times will the toss of coins turn “heads-up” if 100 people each toss a coin? D. Since every insect I have examined so far has six legs, I conclude that all insects must have six legs.