Which of the following represents one of the ways technology has had negative impacts on the physical environment?(1 point)
Hydroelectric power plants make it possible to create energy from water.
Factories and manufacturing centers cause waste and pollution in a number of ways.
Fracking increases the amount of oil that can be extracted from the earth.
High-speed trains could one day reduce greenhouse gases if used in high numbers.
Factories and manufacturing centers cause waste and pollution in a number of ways.
The answer to the question "Which of the following represents one of the ways technology has had negative impacts on the physical environment?" is option 2: "Factories and manufacturing centers cause waste and pollution in a number of ways."
To arrive at this answer, let's examine all the options:
1. "Hydroelectric power plants make it possible to create energy from water." This option does not represent a negative impact on the physical environment. Hydroelectric power is considered a renewable source of energy as it harnesses the power of flowing water to generate electricity. It is generally seen as environmentally friendly and does not involve the burning of fossil fuels, which contribute to pollution and climate change.
2. "Factories and manufacturing centers cause waste and pollution in a number of ways." This option represents one of the negative impacts of technology on the physical environment. Factories and manufacturing centers often emit pollutants into the air, release wastewater into rivers and oceans, generate hazardous waste, and contribute to deforestation, among other environmental issues.
3. "Fracking increases the amount of oil that can be extracted from the earth." While fracking has its own set of environmental concerns, such as water contamination and earthquakes, it primarily focuses on resource extraction rather than the direct negative impact on the physical environment. It is more closely tied to the social, economic, and energy aspects, rather than being directly linked to the degradation of the physical environment.
4. "High-speed trains could one day reduce greenhouse gases if used in high numbers." This option represents a potential positive impact of technology on the physical environment. High-speed trains, if widely adopted, can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing carbon-intensive transportation modes like cars and planes. This option does not represent a negative impact on the physical environment.
Therefore, option 2, "Factories and manufacturing centers cause waste and pollution in a number of ways," represents one of the ways technology has had negative impacts on the physical environment.