AP Environmental Science 8.K: Solid Waste Disposal

Practice AP Environmental Science questions on landfills, sanitary landfill components, e-waste, leachate, methane, and solid waste.

[Maximum number: 2]

Approximately 30 million mobile devices were sold in 1998 in the United States. The number sold increased to 180 million devices in 2007.

Assume that the average mass of each mobile device was 0.1 kilogram. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 10 percent of the mobile devices sold in 2007 were recycled. Calculate the mass (in kilograms) of the mobile devices sold in 2007 that were not recycled.

(2 points: 1 point for a correct setup and 1 point for the correct answer)

1.8 \times 10^{8} \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }} \times 0.9=1.62 \times 10^{7} \mathrm{~kg} \text { or } 16,200,000 \mathrm{~kg}

OR

180,000,000 \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }} \times 0.9=16,200,000 \mathrm{~kg} \text { or } 1.62 \times 10^{7} \mathrm{~kg}

OR

\left(1.8 \times 10^{8} \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }}\right)-\left(1.8 \times 10^{8} \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }} \times 0.1\right)=1.62 \times 10^{7} \mathrm{~kg} \text { or } 16,200,000 \mathrm{~kg}

OR

\begin{gathered} \left(180,000,000 \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }}\right)-\left(180,000,000 \text { devices } \times \frac{0.1 \mathrm{~kg}}{\text { device }} \times 0.1\right) \\ =16,200,000 \mathrm{~kg} \text { or } 1.62 \times 10^{7} \mathrm{~kg} \end{gathered}

(Note: Students must show the calculation to receive credit for the correct answer. Math setup must be shown for second point. Mass units and correct numbers must be shown for second point.)

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STB-3.K—Describe solid waste disposal methods question 1