Deck 7: Water: How Do We Use It and Affect Its Quality

Question 1

The amount of water that is required for the growth, production, and processing of foods would be considered

A) the hydrosphere.
B) a point source.
C) an aquifer.
D) the embedded water.

Answer 1

the embedded water.

Question 2

The Ogallala aquifer, a glacier, and the Pacific Ocean would all be considered

A) reservoirs.
B) aquifers.
C) gyres.
D) surface water.

Answer 2

reservoirs.

Question 3

Water molecules cycle through many reservoirs in a closed system that is referred to as the

A) lotic ecosystem.
B) lentic ecosystem.
C) hydrosphere.
D) cryosphere.

Answer 3

hydrosphere.

Question 4

It is estimated that any given molecule of water within a glacier will remain there for between 20 and 100 years. This would be considered

A) residence time.
B) an ice age.
C) permafrost.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 5

An underground area where water can accumulate, often creating in a source of drinking water, is referred to as a(n)

A) lotic ecosystem.
B) wetlan
C) estuary.
D) aquifer.

Question 6

You are on a trip crossing the Sahara Desert, and you come across an oasis. There are many plants and animals here despite almost no rainfall throughout the year. These plants and animals would be considered a

A) reservoir.
B) groundwater-dependent ecosystem.
C) lentic ecosystem.
D) lotic ecosystem.

Question 7

How do surface water and aquifers differ?

A) Surface water can contain salt, but aquifers cannot.
B) Only surface water can be used to supply drinking water for communities.
C) Surface water may be obtained directly; aquifers must be pumped.
D) Aquifers rarely contain pollution, whereas surface water can.

Question 8

Is it possible for glaciers to be found in locations during the summer months, when annual temperatures are at their highest?

A) No; glaciers melt and then re-form when cooler temperatures return.
B) No; glaciers are not found in locations that fluctuate in temperature.
C) Yes; glaciers remain throughout the year.
D) Yes; glaciers are underground and do not melt from the sun's heat.

Question 9

Which of the following organisms would be found in a lentic ecosystem, but not in a terrestrial ecosystem?

A) decomposers
B) photosynthetic organisms
C) fish
D) All of these are correct.

Question 10

The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) prefers habitats of cold, small streams with moderate water flow. This habitat would be considered a

A) lentic ecosystem.
B) lotic ecosystem.
C) surface current.
D) hydrosphere.

Question 11

Which of the following terms encompasses both marshes and swamps?

A) estuaries
B) aquifers
C) lentic ecosystems
D) wetlands

Question 12

A lab is testing the salt tolerance of three plant species. The researchers attempt to grow the plants using soil with increasing amounts of salt. They find that two of the species show increased growth when salt is added to the soil. Based on these data, where might these two species of plants be found?

A) wetlands
B) estuaries
C) surface water
D) lotic ecosystems

Question 13

The zones found in lentic ecosystems are characterized by which features?

A) distance from shore and amount of sunlight
B) amount of biomass per liter of water
C) amount of carbon dioxide absorbed
D) All of these are correct.

Question 14

The renewal of water into aquifers, referred to as , is a slow process due to the long distance that surface water must travel.

A) upwelling
B) albedo
C) recharge
D) None of these are correct.

Question 15

Which of the following is true for water mining, but not for typical withdrawals from an aquifer?

A) There is no recharge of the aquifer.
B) Increased salinity of aquifer is possible.
C) All water in the aquifer is removed at one time.
D) Water mining removes sources of pollution not typically found in an aquifer.

Question 16

A damaged septic field is leaking waste into a nearby stream. This would be a

A) nonpoint source.
B) point source.
C) reservoir.
D) wetland.

Question 17

Which of the following would be considered a nonpoint source of pollution?

A) agricultural runoff
B) pollutants found in precipitation
C) urban runoff
D) All of these are correct.

Question 18

What will be needed for a community to have water security?

A) The water source must be reliable.
B) The water source must be affordable.
C) The water source must be safe.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 19

An ecosystem experiences three consecutive years of higher than normal temperatures and lower than normal precipitation. Which of the following would most likely result from this condition?

A) an increased recharge of aquifers
B) a rise in river levels
C) drought conditions
D) increased areas of wetlands

Question 20

Which of the following best describes water recycling?

A) treating residential wastewater for use in agriculture
B) adding wastewater to aquifers
C) using desalination to produce more freshwater
D) creating laws limiting household water usage

Question 21

The process of desalination can be summarized as the

A) addition of chemicals to water.
B) removal of salt from water.
C) removal of harmful bacteria from water.
D) addition of vitamins to water.

Question 22

Which of the following regulations would be aligned most closely with the Safe Drinking Water Act?

A) regulation of pollutants dumped in lakes
B) regulation of wastewater treatment
C) regulation of nonpoint sources of pollution
D) regulation of the level of arsenic that can be found in drinking water

Question 23

Which of the following regulations would be aligned most closely with the Clean Water Act?

A) regulation of pollutants dumped in landfills
B) regulation on the level of arsenic that can be found in drinking water
C) regulation of nonpoint sources of pollution
D) All of these are correct.

Question 24

You are reviewing photos from a research trip to Antarctica, and your collection includes photos of glaciers, permafrost, open ocean and forests. If your goal is to find photos of the cryosphere, which would you choose?

A) only photos of the glaciers
B) only photos of the glaciers and permafrost
C) only photos of the open ocean and forests
D) All these photos show examples of the cryosphere.

Question 25

How is permafrost different from a glacier?

A) Permafrost is not frozen, whereas a glacier is frozen.
B) Permafrost is water frozen in soil, whereas glaciers are above groun
C) Permafrost is only found during part of the year, whereas glaciers are found all year round.
D) They are not different, but rather are terms describing the same feature.

Question 26

Ocean water surrounding Greenland will often freeze to ice and then thaw depending on the season and temperature. This is a feature found in

A) the cryosphere.
B) permafrost.
C) glaciers.
D) sea ice.

Question 27

The reflection of the sun's rays off is referred to as albedo.

A) floating algae
B) soil
C) ice
D) photosynthetic plants

Question 28

Which of the following statements best describes a time period defined as an ice age?

A) ice covering large parts of the continents
B) 10 years of below-average temperatures
C) large rises in sea levels
D) All of these are correct.

Question 29

Which of the following would be considered a measurement of salinity?

A) 5 centimeters of salt
B) 5 liters of water
C) 50 grams of salt
D) 500 parts per thousand of salt per liter of water

Question 30

Surface currents are impacted most by

A) the densities of water.
B) air moving above the water.
C) weather systems.
D) the temperature of the water.

Question 31

This figure illustrates which phenomenon of ocean currents?

A) Coriolis effect
B) albedo
C) gyres
D) None of these are correct

Question 32

Patterns of global airflow and water currents are influenced by the different speeds of rotation of the Earth. This is referred to as the

A) thermohaline conveyor.
B) upwelling.
C) Coriolis effect.
D) gyres.

Question 33

The flow of water in deep currents can be influenced by variations in which of the following?

A) density
B) salinity
C) temperature
D) All of these are correct.

Question 34

London, England, is found at a latitude similar to parts of Newfoundland, yet its average temperature is much warmer. This is caused, in part, by

A) El Niño-Southern Oscillation.
B) climate change.
C) the thermohaline conveyor.
D) albedo.

Question 35

Upwelling can cause colder water from deeper in the oceans to be brought to the surface. Despite the fact that the water is colder, this often leads to an increase in biological productivity. This is associated with

A) nutrients moving along with the colder water.
B) an increase in glacier formations.
C) decreased salinity.
D) a change in surface currents.

Question 36

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation, which occurs every 2 to 10 years, alters weather patterns in many parts of the world. Why does it have this effect?

A) This cycle results in the development of a countercurrent.
B) This cycle results in a reduction of current speeds.
C) This cycle results in decreased salinity of the oceans.
D) This cycle results in the development of more ice.

Question 37

Despite the fact that close to 70% of the Earth's surface is water, freshwater shortages are becoming an increasing problem. Explain why this is occurring.

Question 38

You are analyzing water samples taken from various depths of a lake, and you find a sample that contains photosynthetic bacteria. Which region of the lake would you hypothesize this sample was collected from, and why?

Question 39

If your community leaders announced that the aquifers that supply your city are low and reductions are needed in water usage, what are the most significant changes that you could make to reduce your water consumption? Describe at least two changes.

Question 40

Describe the factors that led to thousands of residents of Flint, Michigan, being exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water.

Question 41

Explain why many aquifers are drying up, despite recharges of water that occur each year.

Question 42

How is water mining similar to the mining of fossil fuels?

Question 43

Describe the process of water recycling, including one example of when this could be used.

Question 44

Describe two human impacts on organisms found in the oceans?