WorksheetsWater Pollution
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 52mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Mine site drainage can often cause this:
a)
Cultural eutrophication
b)
Acidic runoff
c)
Land subsidence
d)
Saltwater intrusion
2.
Which of the following is a non-point source of water pollution
a)
Effluent from a sewage treatment plant
b)
BP refiner in Indiana discharging ammonia in a river.
c)
Runoff of pesticides from regional farms into the Illinois River.
d)
Hot water discharges from a nuclear power plant.
3.
Increased use of inorganic (lab-made) fertilizers on crops contributes to:
a)
Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
b)
Increase in storm severity in southeastern U.S.
c)
Water shortages in California
d)
Saltwater intrusion on the East Coast.
4.
Which of the following is a persistent inorganic pollutant that can impair neurological functioning?
a)
Lead
b)
DDT
c)
PCB's
d)
Atrazine
5.
Strategies used to clean up oil spills include all of the following EXCEPT:
a)
Floating booms and boats to skim floating oil toward collectors
b)
Skimmers to absorb oil from the water
c)
Addition of limestone to neutralize the acidic water
d)
Chemical dispersants that break up the oil and help it to sink.
6.
What is the main source of mercury in the Great Lakes?
a)
Leaky landfills
b)
Coal-burning power plants
c)
Sewage effluent
d)
Automobile emissions
7.
Which pollutant or pollutants are most likely to create eutrophic areas?
a)
nitrates and phosphates
b)
heavy metals
c)
synthetic organic compounds
d)
pharmaceuticals
8.
What is the first step in the water treatment process?
a)
coagulation
b)
filtration
c)
flocs
d)
concentation
9.
an underground tank containing bacteria that treat waste water is a
a)
septic tank
b)
leach field
c)
water treatment plant
10.
The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is defined as:
a)
the amount of oxygen required by humans who use a water supply
b)
the amount of oxygen required for biochemical decomposition processes
c)
the amount of oxygen needed by plants growing in a water source
d)
the amount of oxygen given off by a specific water source
11.
Which of the following is not usually associated with eutrophication?
a)
algal blooms
b)
reduced photosynthesis in the water column
c)
increased heavy metal concentrations
d)
reduced dissolved oxygen
12.
The “dead zone” in the northern Gulf of Mexico consists of a large ocean area depleted in ___. This problem appears to be caused by ___.
a)
oxygen; nitrogen from agricultural runoff
b)
marine microorganisms; ozone depletion
c)
carbon; industrial pollutants
d)
oxygen; global warming
13.
The largest component of municipal solid waste in the US is:
a)
Paper
b)
Plastic
c)
Yard Trimmings
d)
Metal
14.
Created because of Love Canal, mandated Superfund sites
a)
RCRA
b)
CERCLA
c)
Brownfields
d)
Clean Water Act
15.
Established Cradle to Grave monitoring of hazardous waste
a)
RCRA
b)
Basel Convention
c)
CERCLA
d)
Brownfields
16.
Which best describes leaching
a)
water flows through soil, landfills, or other areas dissolving materials and carrying it with the water to lower levels
b)
Acid rain is formed when water flows through a coal mine
c)
The use of drip irrigation
d)
A friend constantly borrows money but never pays it back
17.
Found in old plumbing pipes and ceramic glazes
a)
Asbestos
b)
Radon
c)
Lead
d)
Formaldehyde
18.
In a river ecosystem, dissolved oxygen concentrations drop quickly downstream from a point-source input of organic matter into the river due to
a)
increasing populations of mayfly and stonefly larvae
b)
increasing bacterial activity as organic matter decays
c)
decreasing bacterial activity as turbidity increases
d)
decreasing water temperature
19.
a mixture of decomposing organic matter, such as manure and rotting plants, that is used as fertilizer and soil conditioner
a)
compost
b)
recycling
c)
leachate
d)
biodegradable
20.
any change in the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or products to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste; also the reuse of products or materials
a)
source reduction
b)
hazardous waste
c)
surface impoundment
d)
leachate
21.
In landfills, __________ must be transported to a wastewater treatment facility while __________ must be extracted to be burned off or used as fuel.
a)
methane, leachate
b)
leachate, methane
c)
leachate, heavy metals
d)
asbestos, radon
22.
E-waste can be especially harmful due to
a)
the heavy and toxic metals that can be released
b)
the size and weight of most e-waste items
c)
wildlife eating it and becoming ill or dying
d)
the single-use "throw-away" design of most e-waste products
23.
What helps protect against leachate getting into groundwater in sanitary landfills?
a)
pipes to extract methane gas
b)
plastic or clay liner
c)
a layer of gravel between the MSW and soil
d)
the soil cap that covers the landfill after it reaches capacity
24.
What is a point source of pollution?
a)
farm runoff
b)
a sewage treatment plant
c)
storm runoff
d)
a suburban community
25.
Thermal pollution
a)
is primarily a problem in the winter
b)
is not regulated in the United States
c)
has been reduced by the use of cooling towers
d)
is rarely lethal
100 %
