Understanding the Great Salt Lake

What is one of the unique features of Utah's Great Salt Lake?

• It is the largest freshwater lake in the world.

• It has a secret tunnel to the Pacific Ocean.

• It is so salty that it forms crystals.

• It is the deepest lake in North America.

Who was the scientist that used diatoms to study the history of the Great Salt Lake?

• Marie Curie

• Albert Einstein

• Ruth Patrick

• Isaac Newton

What was the original name of the Great Salt Lake when it was a freshwater lake?

• Lake Tahoe

• Lake Michigan

• Lake Superior

• Lake Bonneville

What major event occurred around 15,000 years ago that changed the Great Salt Lake?

• A volcanic eruption

• A massive flood

• A meteor impact

• An earthquake

What was the purpose of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company's construction across the Great Salt Lake?

• To create a new tourist attraction

• To support local wildlife

• To increase salt production

• To reduce train travel time

What is the main consequence of the railroad causeway on the Great Salt Lake?

• It reduced the lake's salinity.

• It split the lake into two separate ecosystems.

• It increased the lake's depth.

• It connected the lake to the ocean.

What type of microorganisms thrive in the highly saline North half of the Great Salt Lake?

• Diatoms

• Bacteria

• Algae

• Haloarchaea

What is the ecological principle named after Ruth Patrick?

• The Diversity Principle

• The Patrick Principle

• The Saltwater Principle

• The Ecosystem Principle

What is a sign of a healthy ecosystem according to the Patrick principle?

• High salinity levels

• Low species diversity

• High species diversity

• Low water levels

What is the main reason the Great Salt Lake has become so salty?

• Underground salt deposits

• Evaporation leaving salt behind

• Rivers flowing out of the lake

• Frequent rainfall