Water Cycle Quiz

What is the term used to describe the area through which any water moves, or drains, to reach a stream?

• Watershed

• Water cycle

• Stream flow

• Groundwater

How much of the precipitation that falls on watersheds in Pennsylvania typically makes it to a stream?

• About 25%

• About half

• About 75%

• Almost all

What is the process called when water enters the water cycle as rain or snow?

• Evaporation

• Transpiration

• Precipitation

• Runoff

What is the term for the process in which plants use much of the precipitation and then release it back into the air as water vapor?

• Evaporation

• Transpiration

• Condensation

• Infiltration

What is the term for the continuous movement of water from the air to a watershed and back to the air?

• Water cycle

• Stream flow

• Water circuit

• Hydro loop

What happens to precipitation that is not used by plants and does not evaporate?

• It becomes groundwater

• It forms clouds

• It is absorbed by animals

• It becomes stream runoff

What is the term used for precipitation that may flow quickly over the ground to the stream?

• Groundwater

• Spring water

• Surface water

• Rainwater

What happens to small streams as they move through a watershed?

• They dry up and disappear

• They join to form larger streams

• They become contaminated

• They flow directly into the ocean

What is the consequence of air pollution such as acid rain on watersheds?

• It increases the water quality

• It has no significant effect

• It removes nutrients from the soil and causes water in streams to become more acidic

• It leads to an increase in groundwater levels

According to the text, what percentage of drinking water in Pennsylvania comes from forest watersheds?

• 50 percent

• 60 percent

• 70 percent

• Over 80 percent