Environmental Science is best described as the interdisciplinary study of which broad areas of science as they relate to the environment and human impact?

Introduction / Context:
Environmental Science has emerged as an important field because of growing concerns about pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development. Unlike a single traditional subject, Environmental Science draws from many scientific areas to understand how natural systems function and how human activities influence them. This question tests awareness that Environmental Science is interdisciplinary rather than limited to one narrow field like biology or physics alone.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The subject under discussion is Environmental Science.
- Several core scientific disciplines are listed: geography, physics, and biology.
- One option combines all of these disciplines together.
- We assume the standard definition used in school and college curricula where Environmental Science is described as interdisciplinary.

Concept / Approach:
Environmental Science studies the interactions between the physical environment and living organisms, including humans. To do this, it uses tools and concepts from geography (landforms, climate, human land use), physics (energy flows, radiation balance, mechanics of the atmosphere and oceans), chemistry (pollutants, cycles of elements), and biology (ecosystems, species interactions, ecology). Therefore, it cannot be confined to any single discipline. The most accurate description is that it combines concepts from multiple sciences to understand environmental problems and their solutions. Consequently, the correct choice is the option that acknowledges all of the listed disciplines working together in an interdisciplinary way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that geography contributes knowledge about Earth surfaces, climates, and human land use to Environmental Science. Step 2: Recognise that physics contributes understanding of energy, radiation, and physical processes in air and water. Step 3: Recall that biology contributes understanding of organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Step 4: Understand that Environmental Science combines all these perspectives, often adding chemistry and social sciences as well. Step 5: Select the option stating that all of the above disciplines are part of Environmental Science.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on Environmental Science usually begin with statements that it is an interdisciplinary field involving biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and social science. Course outlines show topics such as ecology, energy resources, pollution, climate change, and environmental policy, each drawing from different base disciplines. Geography provides spatial and regional context, physics explains energy and climate processes, and biology explains how living systems respond. This confirms that no single subject among the options can fully describe Environmental Science, and that the interdisciplinary all of the above answer is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Geography alone cannot cover the chemical, biological, and physical aspects of pollution and ecosystems.
- Physics alone would ignore crucial biological components like species interactions and biodiversity.
- Biology alone would miss the detailed physical and geographic processes that shape climate and landscapes.

Common Pitfalls:
Students who first encounter Environmental Science in a biology class may mistakenly think it is mainly a branch of biology, while those who approach it through Earth science may link it only to geography. It is important to remember that environmental problems, such as global warming or water pollution, involve energy, chemicals, landforms, and living organisms all at once. Thinking about Environmental Science as a bridge between geography, physics, biology, and other disciplines helps in selecting the comprehensive all of the above option.

Final Answer:
Environmental Science is the study of the environment using All of the above disciplines combined in an interdisciplinary way.