Quiz: Watershed Project Content Topics

What do we call an area of land that captures water and drains it to a single body of water?

• A watershed

• A water tank

• A deep valley

• An aquifer

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

What are dead zones?

• Areas in the ocean with high oxygen levels

• Areas in the ocean with high biodiversity

• Areas in the ocean with low oxygen levels

• Areas in the ocean with high fish population

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What is the main cause of dead zones?

• Natural occurrences

• Climate change

• Industrial pollution

• Excessive nutrient pollution from human activities

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Which best describes the information in the graph? (Choose the best answer.)

• Cities are hotter because the tall buildings stop the wind.

• Rural areas are cooler because they have more natural surfaces (increasing evapotranspiration and cooling).

• Suburban residential areas are cooler because they have yards, lawns, and parks.

• Cities are hotter because the windows on buildings reflect more light back to space.

It is early summer and students measure the temperature of a prairie strip and the artificial turf on a sunny day. What are they most likely to find?

• The temperature of the prairie will be lower than the turf temperature due to evaporation.

• The temperature of the priairie will be greater than other surfaces because it absorbs a lot of solar energy.

• The turf has a dark green color, so it will be cooler than the prairie.

• All surfaces will have approximately the same temperature because they get the same amount of sunlight.

Answer explanation

As water evaporates (turning from a liquid to a gas) it sucks in heat from around it to make this transformation (see the phase change diagram). This process removes heat from the area around the prairie. This is true for any area with water or evaporation - it will usually be cooler than its surroundings due to evaporation (even though water has a low albedo.)

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NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Earlier, we learned that one change, Earth's tilt, can have dramatic effects on other parts of the Earth system. In the diagram, which describes the northern hemisphere at position C? (Click on the picture if you need to enlarge it.)

• 
• 
• 
• Fall (neither direct nor indirect sunlight)

Answer explanation

In the winter we are tilted away from the Sun and receive indirect sunlight. The Sun appears to cut across the southern sky at a low angle (as indicated in the figure).

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Examine the figure (click on it to enlarge it). Analyze the data to put the events in order.

• With less ice, more surface water is exposed.

• More warming causes more sea ice to melt.

• Ice sheets retreat due to warm temps.

• The surface water absorbs the sun's energy (instead of reflecting it).

• As a result, more warming happens in the area.

Answer explanation

The ice albedo feedback is something we are going to learn more about. It is causes a "positive feedback cycle" because the change (warming) causes more of the same change (warming).

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

When water soaks down through the soil.

• deposition
• erosion
• infiltration
• sediment
• precipitation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Choose the most accurate statement about wetlands.

• Wetlands are a water source, so they increase the chance of nearby areas flooding.

• Wetlands grow algae, which can escape during floods and poison downstream areas.

• Wetlands temporarily store water and release it over time, thus slowing erosion and downstream flooding.

• Wetlands trap runoff from farms, thus making the entire watershed more polluted.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which description below best describes how wetlands affect water quality?

• Wetlands slow down the water flow when the water encounters the vegetation. This allows the sediments and pollutants to drop out of the water before the water moves on.
• Wetlands with algae have lower water quality than wetlands with completely clear water.

• Wetland water contains dirt and dark organic acids, so it is usually classified as "low quality" water.

• Wetlands decrease the amount of infiltration and increase the amount of runoff. This sends pollutants downstream.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-5

NGSS.HS-LS2-6

NGSS.HS-LS2-7