Gary S. Thorpe - AP Environmental Science (Barrons Ap Environmental Science)

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my wife and my two daughters, Kris and Erin, for their patience and understanding while I was writing this book. This book is dedicated in tribute to the late Dr. Jerry Bobrow of Bobrow Test Preparation Services, who was not only my publishing agent but a dear friend for many years. A special thanks also goes to the many professional and dedicated high school APES teachers who have contributed to and reviewed this book, making it the finest book possible.

Barrons would like to thank Brian Palm for providing his expert advice and feedback throughout the editorial review process for the AP Environmental Science, 7th Edition , and for writing several of the Free-Response Questions in this book and on the online tests.

Copyright 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007 by Barrons Educational Series, Inc.

Previous edition copyright 2002 under the title How to Prepare for the AP Environmental Science Exam by Barrons Educational Series, Inc.

All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

All inquiries should be addressed to:

Barrons Educational Series, Inc.

250 Wireless Boulevard

Hauppauge, New York 11788

www.barronseduc.com

eISBN: 978-1-4380-6891-6

Revised e-Book publication: October/November 2017

Contents

T his 7th edition includes many new and important changes:

The entire book has been updated to reflect new environmental developments and laws.

Great care was taken to correlate the type and format of the questions and answer explanations found on actual AP Environmental Science exams over the last 20 years to the present with the information presented in this edition. For example, there are now many more PROS and CONS throughout the book.

Many of the Free-Response Questions (FRQs), and their respective answer explanations, have been updated to better reflect the current AP Environmental Science (APES) test.

All of the review chapters have been completely reorganized to present the content in a more logical and consistent manner.

This 7th edition also contains many key features, including:

1. Two full-length tests in the book and three full-length tests online. Each test contains 100 multiple-choice questions and 4 Free-Response Questions with all answers fully explained.

2. Charts have been reformatted to make reviewing for the APES exam that much easier.

3. All chapters have been fully updated to reflect recent changes in environmental laws.

4. Case Studies have been updated to reflect events that occurred recently. Examples include lead contamination in the water supplies in Flint, Michigan, and the Zika virus.

5. An updated Vocabulary Review, available online along with the online tests, provides you with a handy list of the most important vocabulary words and definitions that you can review just before you take the APES exam.

ONLINE

Access all three online tests as well as the Vocabulary Review at barronsbooks.com/AP/ap-env-science/ or by scanning the QR code below.

As you review the content in this book and work toward earning that on your AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE exam, here are five things that you MUST do:

Practice writing your own answers to the Free-Response Questions (FRQs). After you review each FRQ, close this book and write your own response to the question. Then, compare your answer to the one in this book. The more you practice writing your own responses, the higher your score will be on the actual APES exam.

Be sure to review the Case Studies presented in this book. You will find several questions on the exam that focus on specific events that have occurred throughout history and involve environmental science principles and issues. When possible, reference these Case Studies in your responses to the FRQs.

Thoroughly review Chapters 9 (Pollution) and 10 (Impacts on the Environment and Human Health). About 25%30% of the multiple-choice questions on the APES exam will test your knowledge of the topics in these chapters. In particular,

Be familiar with the differences between industrial and photochemical smog.

Know the causes and effects of acid deposition.

Know the causes and effects of global warming.

Familiarize yourself with remediation and reduction strategies for environmental pollution.

Become comfortable with doing the types of math problems found in this book, especially those involving energy calculations. These problems are found in Chapter 8 and in both practice exams. Historically, question 1 of the FRQ section of the APES exam frequently requires you to complete mathematical calculations.

Review the relevant acts, laws, and treaties detailed in each chapter. You will find several questions on the APES exam that test your knowledge on them; you can also reference them in your answers to the FRQs when appropriate.

Welcome to Barrons AP Environmental Science, 7th Edition e-Book version!

Illustrations, graphs, tables, passages, equations, etc., may appear differently than in the print book based on what type of device you are using to view it on. Please adjust your settings accordingly.

This digital book also contains hundreds of hyperlinks that will help you navigate through the content, bring you to helpful resources, allow you to click back and forth between questions and answers, and connect you to our online exams for extra practice.

Good luck!

T he APES exam is three hours long and is divided equally in time between a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. The multiple-choice section, which makes up 60% of the final score and lasts 90 minutes, consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and is designed to cover your knowledge and understanding of environmental science. Thought-provoking problems and questions based on fundamental ideas are included along with questions based on the recall of basic facts and major concepts.

The free-response section, which is also 90 minutes long, makes up 40% of your final score. It contains one data set question, one document-based question, and two synthesis and evaluation questions. You must organize your answers to demonstrate reasoning and analytical skills, as well as the ability to write clearly and concisely.

Q: WHATS THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR THE APES EXAM?

A: Dont wait until the last few weeks in April to start cramming, as that seldom works. Instead, highly successful students use Barrons AP Environmental Science and Barrons AP Environmental Science Flash Cards starting from the very first day of their high school AP Environmental Science class. They use this book and the separate flash card set along with their textbook and class lectures, covering each topic concurrently with their course schedule. This steady, slower-paced approach, which allows you to cover more information in greater depth, has proven highly successful.