Pesticide Applicator Core Exam — Practice Exam
Environment: practice questions
Our Pesticide Applicator Core bank has 27 questions on this topic. Here are 4 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
Which process is the breakdown of a pesticide by sunlight?
- Microbial degradation
- Hydrolysis
- Adsorption
- Photodegradation
Show the answer
D. Photodegradation — Microbes and water (hydrolysis) also break pesticides down.
Question 2
How can back-siphoning into a water source be prevented when filling a sprayer?
- Fill the tank only at night
- Add the pesticide first, then the water
- Keep an air gap of at least twice the pipe diameter, or use a check valve
- Put the hose end below the liquid surface so the tank fills faster
Show the answer
C. Keep an air gap of at least twice the pipe diameter, or use a check valve — Never leave a filling tank unattended.
Question 3
What is a pesticide's half-life?
- The time it takes for half of the pesticide to break down
- The shelf life of an opened container stored in a heated building
- Half the label rate
- The time before the REI ends
Show the answer
A. The time it takes for half of the pesticide to break down — A longer half-life means a more persistent pesticide.
Question 4
What does adsorption mean for a pesticide in soil?
- The pesticide binds to soil particles, especially clay and organic matter
- The pesticide evaporates into the air
- The pesticide is broken down by sunlight on plant and soil surfaces
- The pesticide dissolves into groundwater
Show the answer
A. The pesticide binds to soil particles, especially clay and organic matter — Strongly adsorbed pesticides are less likely to leach.