Deck 22: Shaping Earths Surface

Question 1

The driving force of our planet's hydrologic cycle comes from

A)the balance between precipitation and evaporation.
B)precipitation of water over the oceans.
C)solar energy.
D)wind.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Most of Earth's fresh water is located in

A)polar ice caps and glaciers.
B)groundwater.
C)rivers, lakes, and streams.
D)the atmosphere.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Most of the world's water is in

A)icecaps.
B)glaciers.
C)rivers and lakes.
D)the oceans.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Water is vital to life on our planet. Most of Earth's water supply is in the

A)oceans.
B)ice caps.
C)rivers, lakes, and streams.
D)ground.

Question 5

Water in a confined aquifer is

A)freely flowing.
B)under pressure.
C)recharge.
D)discharge.

Question 6

Most of Earth's accessible fresh water is located in

A)polar ice caps and glaciers.
B)groundwater.
C)rivers, lakes, and streams.
D)the atmosphere.

Question 7

Precipitation exceeds evaporation over the

A)continents.
B)polar ice caps.
C)oceans.
D)equator.

Question 8

Evaporation and precipitation are in balance over the

A)polar ice caps.
B)continents.
C)oceans.
D)equator.

Question 9

All water-groundwater, surface water, and frozen water-flow downslope in response to

A)pressure.
B)hydraulic gradient.
C)permeability.
D)gravity.

Question 10

Which has the longest residence time?

A)Groundwater
B)Rivers, lakes, and streams
C)Polar ice caps and glaciers
D)Rainwater

Question 11

Identify the locations of Earth's water, both oceanic and fresh.

Question 12

Water precipitated over land completes its cycle as it

A)enters streams and lakes and makes its way to the oceans.
B)percolates into the ground.
C)evaporates from the surface to the atmosphere.
D)enters streams and lakes, seeps into the ground, flows to the ocean, or evaporates.

Question 13

What is the largest repository of fresh water?

Question 14

Evaporation from the oceans produces clouds that precipitate fresh water rather than saltwater because

A)salt is too heavy to evaporate.
B)evaporation produces nearly pure water vapor.
C)dissolved salt prevents evaporation.
D)saltwater precipitates over oceans only.

Question 15

The natural circulation of water-from ocean to air to ground to ocean and then back to the atmosphere-is called the

A)circle of life
B)hydrologic cycle.
C)carbon cycle.
D)rock cycle.

Question 16

Sandy soils tend to have

A)high porosity and high permeability.
B)high porosity and low permeability.
C)low porosity and low permeability.
D)low porosity and high permeability.

Question 17

Where does most rainfall on Earth finally end up before becoming rain again?

A)Underground
B)In lakes
C)In the oceans
D)On the ground surface

Question 18

Evaporation and precipitation are greatest over the

A)polar ice caps.
B)continents.
C)oceans.
D)equator.

Question 19

The infiltration of water is greatest in

A)calcite-cemented sandstone.
B)sandy soil.
C)clay soil.
D)silica-cemented sandstone.

Question 20

Evaporation from the oceans produces clouds that precipitate fresh water rather than saltwater because

A)salt is too heavy to evaporate.
B)evaporation produces nearly pure water vapor.
C)dissolved salt prevents evaporation.
D)saltwater precipitates over oceans only.

Question 21

Groundwater is water

A)beneath the ground surface.
B)above the water table.
C)that soaks into the ground.
D)below the water table.

Question 22

The flow of groundwater depends on

A)permeability and porosity.
B)permeability and gravity.
C)porosity and hydraulic gradient.
D)porosity only.

Question 23

Water able to be contained in the subsurface depends on

A)permeability.
B)porosity.
C)chemical composition.
D)none of these

Question 24

The flow of groundwater is

A)as fast as the water in streams.
B)from where the water table is high to where it is low.
C)from where the water table is low to where it is high.
D)insignificant.

Question 25

The dominant influence on the length of time a well will produce water is

A)hydraulic conductivity.
B)water supply and demand.
C)hydraulic gradient.
D)aquifer porosity.

Question 26

As a large reservoir behind a new dam fills with water, the water table in the vicinity of the reservoir

A)rises.
B)falls.
C)stays the same.
D)becomes unsaturated.

Question 27

Water in the unsaturated zone is called

A)groundwater.
B)unsaturated water.
C)pore-water.
D)soil-moisture.

Question 28

Where groundwater discharges to a stream, the elevation of the water table next to the stream

A)is lower than the surface of the stream.
B)is the same as the surface of the stream.
C)is higher than the surface of the stream.
D)Not enough information given

Question 29

The poorest absorber of water is

A)sand and gravel.
B)clay.
C)rocky surfaces covered by a soil layer.
D)rocky surfaces with no soil layer.

Question 30

A rock with a high porosity will most likely have a

A)low permeability.
B)high permeability.
C)large proportion of open pore spaces.
D)low density.

Question 31

A soil composed of well-rounded sand grains of uniform size will most likely have a

A)high porosity.
B)low porosity.
C)high permeability.
D)low permeability.

Question 32

When subsurface ground material is completely saturated with water, we call it

A)the water table.
B)groundwater.
C)the saturated zone.
D)groundwater in the saturated zone.

Question 33

In a well in an unconfined aquifer, the highest level that water can rise to is

A)the level of the water table.
B)just below the level of the water table.
C)to the top of the well.
D)dependent on how deep the well is.

Question 34

A soil composed of flattened soil particles will most likely have a

A)high porosity.
B)low porosity.
C)high permeability.
D)low hydraulic conductivity.

Question 35

A rock with very low porosity will most often have a

A)low permeability.
B)high permeability.
C)large proportion of open spaces.
D)very high density.

Question 36

In an aquifer where groundwater discharges to a stream, how does the elevation of the water table adjacent to the stream compare with the elevation of the surface of the stream?

A)The water table is lower than the surface of the stream.
B)The water table is at the same elevation as the surface of the stream.
C)The water table is higher than the surface of the stream.
D)Not enough information is given.

Question 37

A rock's permeability can be described by its

A)density.
B)depth of burial.
C)water-holding capacity.
D)water-transmitting capability, or hydraulic conductivity.

Question 38

The capacity a material has for transmitting fluids is known as its

A)porosity.
B)permeability.
C)competence.
D)impermeability.

Question 39

The degree to which a soil or rock allows groundwater to flow is called

A)permeability.
B)aquifer.
C)porosity.
D)hydraulic gradient.

Question 40

A sub-surface region that holds and transmits water is called a/an

A)aquifer.
B)hydrometer.
C)water table.
D)aquiclude.

Question 41

Water that does not inflitrate into the ground or evaporate becomes

A)groundwater.
B)runoff.
C)soil moisture.
D)hydrologic cycle.

Question 42

The water table is found at the top of the

A)contact between an aquifer and an underlying, impermeable rock.
B)zone of aeration.
C)zone of saturation.
D)permeability zone.

Question 43

The necessary condition to produce an artesian system is

A)an unconfined aquifer that intersects the land surface.
B)a confined aquifer under sufficient pressure.
C)a confined aquifer that intersects the water table.
D)any of these

Question 44

Land subsidence is caused by

A)groundwater pumping.
B)clay layers that shrink.
C)gophers.
D)over-pumping of groundwater and the compaction of clay layers.

Question 45

Why does quartz sandstone have a high porosity and a high permeability?

Question 46

Why does a clay rock body generally have a medium-to-high porosity but a poor hydraulic conductivity?

Question 47

Karst topography is dominated by

A)rivers and lakes.
B)sinkholes, caves, and caverns.
C)rugged hills and valleys.
D)glaciers.

Question 48

What three factors affect permeability?

Question 49

Over withdrawal of groundwater causes ground subsidence in areas

A)of karst topography.
B)underlain by unconsolidated sediments.
C)underlain by consolidated sediments.
D)all of these

Question 50

The flow of groundwater depends on

A)porosity only.
B)permeability only.
C)porosity and permeability.
D)hydraulic gradient, and hydraulic conductivity.

Question 51

When a well is drilled into an aquifer, why does water flow out of the well spontaneously?

Question 52

When a perched water table intersects the surface on a hillside, the result is

A)an artesian well.
B)a spring.
C)a lake.
D)a cone of depression.

Question 53

Underground rivers can exist in

A)limestone aquifers.
B)science fiction.
C)all aquifers.
D)any of the above.

Question 54

The flow of groundwater is dependent on

A)topography of the ground surface.
B)gravity only.
C)pressure only.
D)hydraulic conductivity and pressure.

Question 55

What three factors affect porosity?

Question 56

If a water well is actively pumped, the water table will

A)be raised around the well.
B)stay at the same level as before pumping.
C)be depressed around the well.
D)be recharged.

Question 57

The region above the zone of saturation is called the

A)water table.
B)zone of aeration.
C)aquifer zone.
D)none of the above.

Question 58

The greater the hydraulic gradient the

A)slower the flow.
B)faster the flow.
C)greater the porosity.
D)less the permeability.

Question 59

An aquifer is a reservoir of water beneath the ground surface. Describe five physical zones in an aquifer. (Hint: Consider in-flow and out-flow.)

Question 60

Cave formation in limestone does NOT involve

A)mildly acidic groundwater.
B)dissolution of carbonate rocks.
C)land subsidence.
D)a dropping water table.

Question 61

Stalactites form from

A)a cave ceiling downward.
B)a cave floor upward.
C)calcium-rich water dripping down from the cave ceiling.
D)the accumulation of calcium-rich water dripping on the cave floor.

Question 62

Which of the following is not involved in cave formation in limestone?

A)Mildly acidic groundwater.
B)Dissolution of carbonate rocks.
C)Land subsidence.
D)A dropping water table.

Question 63

Common drainage networks include the

A)rectangular and divide drainage patterns.
B)radiating and undulating drainage patterns.
C)dentritic, radial, and trellis drainage patterns.
D)trellis, subsident, and perched drainage patterns.

Question 64

The formations of rock hanging from the roofs of caves are called

A)moraines.
B)stalactites.
C)stalagmites.
D)dikes.

Question 65

From the 1930s to the 1970s, extensive groundwater pumping in the San Joaquin Valley of California caused the ground to subside by as much as 9 m. How does groundwater withdrawal contribute to land subsidence?

Question 66

Rainwater becomes acidic as it falls through the air. How does this affect areas of Karst topography?

Question 67

In general, sinkholes are found in areas

A)dominated by limestone.
B)in which groundwater is being pumped out of the ground too quickly.
C)where the dominant rock is shale.
D)with extensive irrigation systems.

Question 68

Land subsidence is generally not reversible because

A)compacted clay layers cannot be expanded.
B)once pumping is stopped, layers continue to compact.
C)compacted sandy aquifers cannot be expanded.
D)none of the above

Question 69

The speed of water in a stream is affected by

A)hydraulic gradient, recharge, and channel geometry.
B)gradient, discharge, and channel geometry.
C)high gradient, laminar flow, and erosion.
D)gradient, turbulence, and friction.

Question 70

In general, a stream with a high discharge tends to have

A)increased laminar flow.
B)increased turbulent flow.
C)a high velocity.
D)a narrow stream channel.

Question 71

As water is withdrawn from a well, the water table around the well

A)subsides.
B)drops, making a cone of depression around the well.
C)dries up.
D)rises.

Question 72

Stream velocity is faster in a

A)flat bottomed, shallow stream channel.
B)rounded, relatively deep stream channel.
C)stream with a very steep gradient.
D)canyon.

Question 73

How do caves and caverns form in limestone?

Question 74

The discharge of a stream is directly related to the

A)volume of water flowing past a given point in a channel in a given amount of time.
B)cross-sectional area of a channel and the average stream velocity.
C)average stream speed and frictional contact.
D)channel geometry and frictional contact.

Question 75

The volume of water that flows past a given point in a channel during a specified time is called

A)load
B)gradient.
C)discharge.
D)runoff.

Question 76

Stream velocity is dependent on

A)the size and shape of the stream's channel.
B)the gradient and stream dimension.
C)gradient and friction.
D)gradient, channel geometry, and discharge.

Question 77

What is a stalactite and how does it form?

Question 78

The cross-sectional area and shape of a stream is called

A)hydraulic gradient.
B)discharge.
C)channel dimension.
D)channel geometry.

Question 79

A rock that is readily attacked by chemical weathering is

A)limestone.
B)granite.
C)basalt.
D)gneiss.

Question 80

Caves and caverns are formed in carbonate rock by

A)abrasive action of swift flowing groundwater.
B)reaction of carbonic acid released into the groundwater.
C)stalactites and stalagmites.
D)all of these