Course Outline

Below is a topic outline with the percentage showing the approximate proportion of multiple-choice questions on the AP exam that pertain to that heading.

I. Earth Systems and Resources (10–15%)
A . Earth Science Concepts
(Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar
intensity and latitude)
B . The Atmosphere
(Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric circulation and
the Coriolis Effect; atmosphere–ocean interactions; ENSO)
C . Global Water Resources and Use
(Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation; agricultural, industrial, and domestic
use; surface and groundwater issues; global problems; conservation)
D . Soil and Soil Dynamics
(Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and chemical properties; main
soil types; erosion and other soil problems; soil conservation)

II. The Living World (10–15%)
A . Ecosystem Structure
(Biological populations and communities; ecological niches; interactions
among species; keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; major
terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
B . Energy Flow
(Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs and trophic levels;
ecological pyramids)
C . Ecosystem Diversity
(Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services)
D . Natural Ecosystem Change
(Climate shifts; species movement; ecological succession)
E . Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
(Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water, conservation of matter)

III. Population (10–15%)
A . Population Biology Concepts
(Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B . Human Population
1 . Human population dynamics
(Historical population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and
doubling times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams)
2 . Population size
(Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
3 . Impacts of population growth
(Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat destruction)

IV. Land and Water Use (10–15%)
A . Agriculture
1 . Feeding a growing population
(Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution;
genetic engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation;
sustainable agriculture)
2 . Controlling pests
(Types of pesticides; costs and benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest
management; relevant laws)
B . Forestry
(Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest management;
national forests)
C . Rangelands
(Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland management; federal
rangelands)
D . Other Land Use
1 . Urban land development
(Planned development; suburban sprawl; urbanization)
2 . Transportation infrastructure
(Federal highway system; canals and channels; roadless areas; ecosystem
impacts)
3 . Public and federal lands
(Management; wilderness areas; national parks; wildlife refuges; forests;
wetlands)
4 . Land conservation options
(Preservation; remediation; mitigation; restoration)
5 . Sustainable land-use strategies
E . Mining
(Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties)
F . Fishing
(Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties)
G . Global Economics
(Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant laws and
treaties)

V. Energy Resources and Consumption (10–15%)
A . Energy Concepts
(Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics)
B . Energy Consumption
1 . History
(Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis)
2 . Present global energy use
3 . Future energy needs
C . Fossil Fuel Resources and Use
(Formation of coal, oil, and natural gas; extraction/purification methods;
world reserves and global demand; synfuels; environmental advantages/
disadvantages of sources)
D . Nuclear Energy
(Nuclear fission process; nuclear fuel; electricity production; nuclear reactor
types; environmental advantages/disadvantages; safety issues; radiation and
human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear fusion)
E . Hydroelectric Power
(Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other impacts)
F . Energy Conservation
(Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric vehicles; mass transit)
G . Renewable Energy
(Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells; biomass; wind energy;
small-scale hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy; geothermal;
environmental advantages/disadvantages)

VI. Pollution (25–30%)
A . Pollution Types
1 . Air pollution
(Sources — primary and secondary; major air pollutants; measurement
units; smog; acid deposition — causes and effects; heat islands and
temperature inversions; indoor air pollution; remediation and reduction
strategies; Clean Air Act and other relevant laws)
2 . Noise pollution
(Sources; effects; control measures)
3 . Water pollution
(Types; sources, causes, and effects; cultural eutrophication; groundwater pollution; maintaining water quality; water purification; sewage
treatment/septic systems; Clean Water Act and other relevant laws)
4 . Solid waste
(Types; disposal; reduction)
B . Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1 . Hazards to human health
(Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects; dose-response
relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks)
2 . Hazardous chemicals in the environment
(Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of hazardous waste;
cleanup of contaminated sites; biomagnification; relevant laws)
C . Economic Impacts
(Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs; sustainability)

VII. Global Change (10–15%)
A . Stratospheric Ozone
(Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet radiation; causes of ozone
depletion; effects of ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone
depletion; relevant laws and treaties)
B . Global Warming
(Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and consequences of
global warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and treaties)
C . Loss of Biodiversity
1 . Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and
extinct species
2 . Maintenance through conservation
3 . Relevant laws and treaties