Career upgrade: Learn practical AI skills for better jobs and higher pay.
Level up
PracticeVideosBlogFlashcardsEspañol
All Practice Exams

100+ Free AP Environmental Science Practice Questions

Pass your AP Environmental Science (APES) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
100+ Questions
100% Free
1 / 100
Question 1
Score: 0/0

Burning biomass such as wood or crop residues is sometimes considered approximately carbon neutral because

A
B
C
D
to track
Same family resources

Explore More Advanced Placement (AP)

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

AP African American Studies

Practice Questions

AP Art History

Practice Questions

AP Biology

Practice Questions

AP Calculus AB

Practice Questions

AP Calculus BC

Practice Questions

AP Chemistry

Practice Questions
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: AP Environmental Science Exam

80

multiple-choice questions in Section I (90 minutes)

College Board

3

free-response questions in Section II (70 minutes)

College Board

60%

of the exam score from the multiple-choice section

College Board

9

units, with Global Change weighted most heavily at 15-20%

College Board CED

1-5

score scale, with 3+ typically earning college credit

College Board

$99

approximate US exam fee per AP exam for 2025-26

College Board

The AP Environmental Science exam runs 2 hours 40 minutes and has 80 multiple-choice questions (90 minutes, 60% of the score) plus 3 free-response questions (70 minutes, 40% of the score). The free-response section includes one design-an-investigation prompt, one analyze-an-environmental-problem-and-propose-a-solution prompt, and one calculations prompt. Content spans nine units, with Global Change (Unit 9) weighted most heavily at 15-20%. The exam is scored 1-5, and most colleges grant credit for a 3 or higher (source: College Board, apcentral.collegeboard.org).

Sample AP Environmental Science Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your AP Environmental Science exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In a typical food chain, roughly what percentage of the energy stored in one trophic level is transferred to the next higher trophic level?
A.1%
B.90%
C.50%
D.10%
Explanation: The 10% rule states that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is passed to the next. The remaining ~90% is lost mostly as heat through cellular respiration and through energy used in life processes. This is why food chains rarely exceed four or five trophic levels.
2Which process in the nitrogen cycle converts atmospheric nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia that plants can use?
A.Denitrification
B.Assimilation
C.Nitrification
D.Nitrogen fixation
Explanation: Nitrogen fixation converts inert atmospheric N2 into ammonia (NH3) or ammonium, a usable form. It is carried out mainly by bacteria such as Rhizobium living in legume root nodules, as well as by lightning. Without fixation, the vast atmospheric nitrogen reservoir would be biologically unavailable.
3Which biogeochemical cycle does NOT have a significant atmospheric (gaseous) component?
A.Carbon cycle
B.Nitrogen cycle
C.Phosphorus cycle
D.Water cycle
Explanation: The phosphorus cycle is a sedimentary cycle with no significant gaseous phase; phosphorus moves through rock weathering, soil, water, and organisms. This makes phosphorus a common limiting nutrient because it cycles slowly and is not replenished from the atmosphere.
4Gross primary productivity (GPP) minus the energy used by producers in respiration equals which of the following?
A.Net primary productivity
B.Standing biomass
C.Secondary productivity
D.Trophic efficiency
Explanation: Net primary productivity (NPP) equals GPP minus the energy producers expend on cellular respiration. NPP represents the energy actually available to consumers and is a key measure of an ecosystem's productivity. It is often expressed in units like kcal per square meter per year.
5Which of the following best describes a terrestrial biome characterized by permafrost, low precipitation, and a short growing season?
A.Tropical rainforest
B.Temperate grassland
C.Tundra
D.Chaparral
Explanation: The tundra is defined by permanently frozen subsoil (permafrost), very low precipitation, cold temperatures, and a brief growing season. Vegetation is limited to low-growing plants such as mosses, lichens, and small shrubs. It is found at high latitudes and high altitudes.
6Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria are essential to ecosystems primarily because they
A.produce most of an ecosystem's oxygen through photosynthesis
B.fix atmospheric carbon directly into organic compounds
C.occupy the highest trophic level in most food webs
D.break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the soil
Explanation: Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste, releasing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus back into the soil where producers can reuse them. Without decomposers, nutrients would remain locked in dead matter and biogeochemical cycles would stall. They are the recyclers of the ecosystem.
7In the carbon cycle, which human activity most directly increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
A.Reforestation of cleared land
B.Wetland restoration
C.Construction of wind turbines
D.Combustion of fossil fuels
Explanation: Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) releases carbon that was stored underground for millions of years, transferring it rapidly into the atmosphere as CO2. This is the single largest human source of atmospheric carbon and a primary driver of climate change.
8According to the theory of island biogeography, which island would be expected to support the GREATEST number of species?
A.A small island far from the mainland
B.A large island far from the mainland
C.A small island close to the mainland
D.A large island close to the mainland
Explanation: Island biogeography predicts species richness increases with island size and decreases with distance from the mainland. A large island near the mainland has the most habitat (lower extinction) and the easiest colonization (higher immigration), so it supports the most species.
9Which of the following is an example of a provisioning ecosystem service?
A.Pollination of crops by bees
B.Recreational hiking in a park
C.Climate regulation by oceans
D.Timber harvested from a forest
Explanation: Provisioning services are the tangible products people obtain from ecosystems, such as food, timber, fresh water, and fuel. Harvested timber is a classic provisioning service. The other categories are regulating, supporting, and cultural services.
10During primary succession, which type of organism typically colonizes a newly exposed surface such as bare rock first?
A.Mature hardwood trees
B.Climax community shrubs
C.Large herbivores
D.Pioneer species such as lichens
Explanation: Primary succession begins on lifeless surfaces with no soil, such as bare rock or cooled lava. Pioneer species like lichens and mosses arrive first, breaking down rock and building the initial soil that later, larger plants require. This contrasts with secondary succession, which begins where soil already exists.

About the AP Environmental Science Exam

AP Environmental Science (APES) is a College Board course and exam that explores the interrelationships of the natural world and the problems humans create within it. The exam has two sections: Section I is 80 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes (60% of the score), and Section II is 3 free-response questions in 70 minutes (40% of the score). Content is organized into nine units, from ecosystems and biodiversity to energy, pollution, and global change, and scores range from 1 to 5.

Questions

80 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours 40 minutes

Passing Score

Scored 1-5; a 3 or higher typically earns college credit

Exam Fee

About $99 per exam (College Board)

AP Environmental Science Exam Content Outline

6-8%

Unit 1: The Living World - Ecosystems

Energy flow, trophic levels, the 10% rule, primary productivity, and biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, water).

6-8%

Unit 2: The Living World - Biodiversity

Biodiversity, ecosystem services, island biogeography, ecological tolerance, and ecological succession.

10-15%

Unit 3: Populations

K- and r-selected species, survivorship curves, carrying capacity, population growth, and the demographic transition.

10-15%

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

Plate tectonics, soil, atmosphere, global wind patterns, watersheds, and El Nino/La Nina.

10-15%

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

Tragedy of the Commons, agriculture, mining, urbanization, ecological footprints, and sustainability.

10-15%

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

Renewable and nonrenewable energy, fossil fuels, nuclear power, and energy efficiency.

7-10%

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

Primary and secondary pollutants, smog, thermal inversion, acid rain, and indoor air pollution.

7-10%

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

Point/nonpoint pollution, eutrophication, bioaccumulation and biomagnification, waste, and human health.

15-20%

Unit 9: Global Change

Ozone depletion, the greenhouse effect and climate change, ocean acidification, and invasive species.

How to Pass the AP Environmental Science Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Scored 1-5; a 3 or higher typically earns college credit
  • Exam length: 80 questions
  • Time limit: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Exam fee: About $99 per exam

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

AP Environmental Science Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, water) - they appear across multiple units and are common free-response topics.
2Practice dimensional analysis and scientific notation by hand; APES math problems reward showing units and clear setup more than the final number.
3Build a list of real-world case studies (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Love Canal, the Montreal Protocol, the Clean Air Act) to cite in free-response answers.
4Learn to read and interpret graphs, tables, and maps quickly - data analysis appears throughout the multiple-choice section.
5Distinguish closely related terms (point vs. nonpoint pollution, primary vs. secondary pollutants, K- vs. r-selected species, weather vs. climate) that exam writers use as distractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the AP Environmental Science exam?

The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions and 3 free-response questions. The multiple-choice section is worth 60% of the score and the free-response section is worth 40%.

How long is the AP Environmental Science exam?

The exam is 2 hours 40 minutes total: 90 minutes for the 80 multiple-choice questions and 70 minutes for the 3 free-response questions.

How is AP Environmental Science scored?

AP exams are scored on a 1-5 scale. A 3 is considered passing, and most colleges grant credit or placement for a 3, 4, or 5, though policies vary by school.

What are the nine units of AP Environmental Science?

The units are Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Populations, Earth Systems and Resources, Land and Water Use, Energy Resources and Consumption, Atmospheric Pollution, Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution, and Global Change. Global Change is weighted most heavily at 15-20%.

Can I use a calculator on the AP Environmental Science exam?

Yes. As of recent administrations, a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is permitted on both sections of the exam, though many math problems can be solved by hand using scientific notation.

How much does the AP Environmental Science exam cost?

The standard AP exam fee in the United States is about $99 per exam for 2025-26. Fee reductions are available for eligible students with financial need.