Free Response Questions (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Exam Questions

17 mins2 questions
1a
1 mark

As the global population continues to increase, so does the need for sustainable and nutritious food sources, particularly protein.  

Based on the data below, identify the country that supplies the greatest percent of its protein consumption from fish and seafood?

Share of dietary protein supply by source (%), by country

Country

Fish & seafood

Beef

Pork

Poultry

Dairy & eggs

Grains & other plant sources

Cambodia

30

4

8

5

2

51

Brazil

5

22

6

14

12

41

USA

5

14

7

16

17

41

Japan

20

5

9

7

7

52

India

3

2

1

2

18

74

Nigeria

6

8

1

3

2

80

1b
1 mark

Explain how this lack of individual ownership can contribute to an environmental problem.

1c
1 mark

Describe the process of aquaculture.

1d
1 mark

Describe one environmental problem associated with farm raised fish production.

1e
1 mark

Propose a realistic solution to the problem you described.

1f
1 mark

In order to meet the growing demand for beef, it is often produced on a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

Justify a claim about which country consumes more of its protein from beef than any of the other countries listed.

1g
1 mark

Describe one human health problem associated with CAFOs

1h
1 mark

Explain why animal protein production has a greater environmental impact than the production of plant protein.

1i
1 mark

Describe how grain production can lead to water shortages.

1j
1 mark

Propose a strategy to reduce the impact of the problem you described above. 

2a
1 mark

Clearcutting is a forestry practice where most or all trees in a designated area are uniformly harvested at the same time. This method is often employed to efficiently clear land for agriculture, ranching, or timber production, but has many environmental consequences. 

Identify one way in which clearcutting impacts water quality of streams and rivers in the watershed where the logging occurs?

2b
1 mark

Describe an alternative strategy of harvesting trees that would have less impact on the environment.

2c
1 mark

When a new school is built in a suburban area, it often requires clearing forested land.Students in an environmental science class are interested in calculating the amount of runoff into a nearby creek from the parking lot of the new school. The table below shows the relevant data they need to do the analysis.

Size of parking lot

14,500 m2

Volume of rain in a heavy rain event 

0.0076 m/hour

Length of rain event 

2 hours

Amount of rain that runs off

90%

Amount of rain that infiltrates

10%

Calculate the volume of rain, in m3, that falls on the parking lot during the 2 hour rain event. 

2d
1 mark

Calculate the volume of rain, in m3, that runs off the parking lot

2e
1 mark

Calculate the volume of rain, in m3, that could be diverted from runoff if the parking lot is built with permeable pavers instead of asphalt.

2f
1 mark

Other than replacing impermeable asphalt with permeable pavers, describe one way a municipality could reduce the amount of runoff from parking lots and other impervious surfaces. 

2g
1 mark

Describe an additional benefit of the strategy