2023-24 Earth Science final exam

Where is the majority of Earth's water found?

• In rivers

• In groundwater

• In oceans

• In the atmosphere

The unique qualities of water that make it critical to the functioning of Earth's systems include

• the fact that frozen water is denser than liquid water.

• water's ability to store large quantities of heat.

• the fact that water exists on Earth's surface only in liquid form.

• its presence primarily as freshwater on Earth's surface.

During an average day, the average volume of water used per person in the U.S. (including indirect use) is closest to

• 5 gallons

• 10 gallons

• 100 gallons

• 1,000 gallons

Water is temporarily stored in:

• Oceans

• Atmosphere

• Living things

• All of the above

Which of the following is NOT a property of water?

• It exists on Earth's surface in three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas.

• It has a low specific heat relative to other common materials.

• It is transparent.

• It increases its volume (expands) when it freezes.

Freshwater that is readily accessible for human use makes up what % of the hydrosphere?

• 100%

• 97.5%

• 2.5%

• Less than 1%

Which factor most likely causes two cities at the same elevation and latitude to have different yearly average temperature ranges?

• rotation of Earth

• duration of sunlight

• distance from a large body of water

• the rain-shadow effect

Which is not a factor that determines a climate?

• longitude

• prevailing winds

• latitude

• nearby bodies of water

Similar climates are often found:

• along the same, or very similar, longitude lines

• along the same, or very similar, latitude lines

• in the middle of all continents

• next to oceans

A material with a higher heat capacity ____ than a material with low heat capacity.