Earth Science Review

Which best describes the characteristics of a river basin?

• the land drained by a river and its tributaries

• the land formed when rivers create estuaries and marshes

• the land at the mouth of a river where water flows into the ocean

• the land formed as a result of a river flooding

Which best describes the shallow water ocean zone?

• The long water column protects small organisms from being eaten by large predators.

• Cooler water temperatures cause a decrease in dissolved oxygen needed by organisms

• Sunlight penetration increases algae growth and provides food for a variety of organisms

• Hydrothermal vents provide heat and dissolved minerals needed by some organisms to survive

Which factors can have the greatest effect on the healthy of a river system?

• type of soil and salinity

• nitrate levels and turbidity

• human consumption and pH

• natural disaster and tidal changes

Which percentage represents the amount of Earth's water that is found in oceans?

• 3%

• 71%

• 97%

What best describes the amount of Earth's total water supply that is usable freshwater?

• Less than 1%

• Less than 25%

• Greater than 50%

• Greater than 75%

Which would result in the greatest strain on the local water availability?

• increased farm activity around local waterways

• decreased farm activity around local waterways

• decreased industrial activity

Which would greatly reduce local water availability?

• a flood

• a drought

• a hurricane

Which of these conditions would MOST likely be shown in the fossil record as a reason for mass extinctions?

• increased competition for resources

• falling sea levels and global cooling

• organisms with beneficial traits

• increased solar activity

Rivers and streams transport nutrients, salts, sediments, and pollutants. Which is the correct order for this process?

• estuaries--->oceans--->watersheds

• watersheds--->oceans--->estuaries

• watersheds--->estuaries--->oceans

Which will most likely result if increased upwelling in a coastal area?

• more aquatic life

• less nutrients in the water

• higher water temperatures

• fewer nitrates