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Quiz: Matter Cycles in Nature

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 
Which of the following is NOT one of the cycles of crucial elements?
a.
Carbon Cycle
b.
Iron Cycle
c.
Phosphorus Cycle
d.
Potassium Cycle
e.
Nitrogen Cycle
 

 2. 
Which cycle hs a direct effect on the natural greenhouse effect?
a.
Carbon Cycle
b.
Water Cycle
c.
Phosphorus Cycle
d.
Potassium Cycle
e.
Nitrogen Cycle
 

 3. 
Which of the following is NOT a component of the Nitrogen cycle?
a.
ammonification
b.
nitrification
c.
nitrogen fixation
d.
sedimentation
e.
fertilization
 

 4. 
The hydrologic cycle refers to the movement of
a.
hydrogen.
b.
oxygen.
c.
water.
d.
hydrocarbons.
e.
nitrogen.
 

 5. 
The cycle most responsible for linking the other biogeochemical cycles is the
a.
carbon cycle.
b.
nitrogen cycle.
c.
phosphorous cycle.
d.
hydrologic cycle.
e.
phosphorus cycle.
 

 6. 
The hydrologic cycle is driven primarily by
a.
solar energy and gravity.
b.
solar energy and the moon.
c.
solar energy and mechanical energy.
d.
mechanical and chemical energy.
e.
chemical energy from the moon.
 

 7. 
Of the following processes of the water cycle, the one working against gravity is
a.
percolation.
b.
infiltration.
c.
runoff.
d.
transpiration.
e.
precipitation.
 

 8. 
The amount of water vapor found in a certain mass of air is the
a.
relative humidity.
b.
absolute humidity.
c.
average humidity.
d.
air pressure.
e.
altitude.
 

 9. 
Condensation nuclei form from all of the following except
a.
sea salt.
b.
soil dust.
c.
carbon monoxide emitted from vehicles.
d.
volcanic ash.
e.
smoke.
 

 10. 
Humans strongly affect the hydrologic cycle through all of the following except
a.
water withdrawal in heavily populated areas.
b.
clearing vegetation for agriculture.
c.
boiling water.
d.
paving roads and parking lots.
e.
creating housing developments.
 

 11. 
Water covers about ____% of earth's surface.
a.
54
b.
64
c.
74
d.
84
e.
94
 

 12. 
Water molecules ____ each other.
a.
attract
b.
repel
c.
have no effect on
d.
dissolve
e.
diffuse
 

 13. 
Which of the following statements is false?
a.
Water has a very high heat capacity and changes temperature very slowly.
b.
Water tends to ameliorate temperatures so that coastal towns do not show the temperature ranges of towns in the interior of continents.
c.
Water has a low heat of vaporization; that is, it evaporates very easily.
d.
Water functions well as a coolant.
e.
None of the above statements are false.
 

 14. 
Humans are most likely to alter the earth's thermostat through their impact on the compound
a.
carbon dioxide.
b.
nitrogen gas.
c.
phosphate.
d.
hydrogen sulfide.
e.
water.
 

 15. 
Which element could be called the "currency for energy exchange in living systems?"
a.
nitrogen
b.
oxygen
c.
carbon
d.
sulfur
e.
phosphorus
 

 16. 
Carbon is a major component of
a.
atmospheric gases.
b.
sedimentary rocks.
c.
the oceans.
d.
organic compounds.
e.
water cycle.
 

 17. 
All of the following increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere except
a.
respiration.
b.
photosynthesis.
c.
combustion.
d.
decomposition.
e.
None of these answers.
 

 18. 
Transfer of carbon between organisms depends primarily on
a.
fuel combustion and decomposition.
b.
photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
c.
soil bacteria and precipitation.
d.
volcanic activity and organic decay.
e.
the rock cycle.
 

 19. 
Of the following carbon-based compounds, which would have the slowest turnover rate?
a.
calcium carbonate shells
b.
wood in a tree
c.
protein in a cow
d.
DNA in a bacterium
e.
carbohydrates in bread
 

 20. 
The two ways in which humans have most interfered with the carbon cycle are
a.
removal of forests and aerobic respiration.
b.
aerobic respiration and burning fossil fuels.
c.
respiration and photosynthesis.
d.
burning fossil fuels and removal of forests and brush.
e.
respiration and removal of forests.
 

 21. 
Computer models suggest that adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere could
a.
reduce the natural greenhouse effect.
b.
increase food production.
c.
raise sea level.
d.
stabilize climate patterns.
e.
decrease food production.
 

 22. 
The nitrogen cycle is considered to be a
a.
gaseous cycle.
b.
sedimentary cycle.
c.
hydrologic cycle.
d.
double cycle.
e.
rock cycle.
 

 23. 
The most common gas in the atmosphere is
a.
nitrogen.
b.
carbon dioxide.
c.
oxygen.
d.
hydrogen.
e.
helium.
 

 24. 
Nitrogen is a major component of all of the following except
a.
proteins.
b.
nucleic acids.
c.
ammonia.
d.
groundwater.
e.
DNA.
 

 25. 
Nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria would be expected to occur on the roots of
a.
pine trees.
b.
roses.
c.
legumes.
d.
grasses.
e.
oak trees.
 

 26. 
Nitrogen fixation is accomplished by
a.
earthworms.
b.
cyanobacteria.
c.
algae.
d.
protozoa.
e.
legumes.
 

 27. 
The form of nitrogen most usable to plants is
a.
ammonia.
b.
nitrogen gas.
c.
proteins.
d.
nitrates.
e.
nitrites.
 

 28. 
Ammonium ions are converted to nitrite ions and nitrate ions through the process of
a.
nitrification.
b.
nitrogen fixation.
c.
denitrification.
d.
assimilation.
e.
leaching.
 

 29. 
Nitrogen gas is converted to ammonia through
a.
nitrification.
b.
nitrogen fixation.
c.
denitrification.
d.
assimilation.
e.
leaching.
 

 30. 
When organisms die, their nitrogenous organic compounds are converted to simpler inorganic compounds such as ammonia through the process of
a.
nitrification.
b.
nitrogen fixation.
c.
denitrification.
d.
ammonification.
e.
leaching.
 

 31. 
Inorganic nitrogen-containing ions are converted into organic molecules through
a.
nitrification.
b.
nitrogen fixation.
c.
denitrification.
d.
assimilation.
e.
leaching.
 

 32. 
Nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas through the process of
a.
nitrification.
b.
nitrogen fixation.
c.
denitrification.
d.
assimilation.
e.
leaching.
 

 33. 
Which of the following statements about human alteration of the nitrogen cycle is false?
a.
Large quantities of nitric oxide are released into the atmosphere when fuel is burned.
b.
Nitric oxide is converted in the atmosphere to nitric acid, which contributes to acid deposition.
c.
Eating protein puts "dead ends" in the nitrogen cycle.
d.
Soil can be depleted of nitrate and ammonium ions by harvesting nitrogen-rich crops.
e.
Irrigation of crops removes nitrogen from topsoil.
 

 34. 
Humans remove nitrogen from the soil by all of the following except
a.
leaching water-soluble nitrate ions from soil through irrigation.
b.
harvesting nitrogen-rich crops.
c.
applying organic fertilizers to agricultural land.
d.
mining of nitrogen-rich mineral deposits.
e.
None of these answers.
 

 35. 
Which of the following is not one of the common phosphorous reservoirs in the ecosystem?
a.
soil
b.
organisms
c.
atmosphere
d.
rocks
e.
marine sediment
 

 36. 
Phosphorous is used in the composition of all of the following except
a.
fats in cell membranes.
b.
DNA molecules.
c.
bones and teeth.
d.
proteins.
e.
carbohydrates
 

 37. 
To which of the following cycles is guano an important component?
a.
phosphorous
b.
carbon
c.
hydrologic
d.
sulfur
e.
rock
 

 38. 
All of the following are sources of phosphorous except
a.
inorganic fertilizer.
b.
runoff of animal wastes from feedlots.
c.
detergents.
d.
acid rain.
e.
guano.
 

 39. 
The major plant nutrient most likely to be a limiting factor is
a.
phosphorous.
b.
calcium.
c.
manganese.
d.
potassium.
e.
nitrogen.
 

 40. 
Organic sulfur-containing compounds include
a.
sulfates.
b.
carbohydrates and proteins.
c.
fats and vitamins.
d.
proteins and vitamins.
e.
sulfites.
 

 41. 
Humans add sulfur to the atmosphere by
a.
refining petroleum.
b.
smelting sulfur compounds or metallic minerals.
c.
burning sulfur-containing fossil fuels.
d.
All of these answers.
e.
None of these answers.
 

 42. 
All of the following are elements involved in major biogeochemical cycles except
a.
nitrogen.
b.
calcium.
c.
sulfur.
d.
oxygen.
e.
phosphorus.
 

 43. 
Earth's chemical cycles connect life of the present to life of the
a.
present.
b.
past.
c.
future.
d.
present, past, and future.
e.
present and future.
 



 
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