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Unit 5: Hydrosphere - Review

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 26mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the best definition of a water table?

a)

The level to which a river rises when it floods

b)

The boundary between the land and the ocean

c)

The top of the saturated zone in an aquifer

d)

The bottom of the saturated zone in an aquifer

e)

The top of the unsaturated zone in an aquifer

2.

What is infiltration?

a)

The process by which water sinks into the ground

b)

The zone where there are still air spaces left between the particles.

c)

The process by which water vapor turns into liquid water and forms fog or clouds.

d)

The process by which water does not sink into the ground, but rather travels along the surface.

3.

What process causes liquid water to evaporate from plant leaves and enter the atmosphere as water vapor?

a)

evaporation

b)

infiltration

c)

precipitation

d)

transpiration

e)

condensation

4.

Which surface would have the most runoff from it after a rainstorm?

a)
b)
c)
d)
5.

When people remove vegetation, they ____ runoff and the erosion process.

a)

slow down

b)

speed up

c)

decrease

d)

do not affect

6.

What does "potable" mean?

a)

Safe to drink

b)

Frozen

c)

Liquid water

d)

Dirty water

7.

Which of the following is an unsafe material that can be found in drinking water?

a)

Fish

b)

Pathogens

c)

Minerals

d)

None of these

8.

What is water used for in agriculture?

a)

As a pesticide

b)

Cleans crops

c)

Water parks

d)

Irrigation

9.
______________________ is a structure that blocks and controls the flow of water.
a)
potable
b)
dam
c)
wastewater
d)
point source pollution
10.
______________________ is water waste that comes from many different sources.
a)
biomagnification
b)
point source pollution
c)
nonpoint source pollution
d)
wastewater
11.
______________________ is water waste discharge from a single source.
a)
nonpoint source pollution
b)
wastewater
c)
point source pollution
d)
pathogen
12.
______________________ is a flowing network of water.
a)
wastewater
b)
aquifer
c)
river system
d)
dam
13.
______________________ is the fresh water on the Earth’s surface.
a)
surface water
b)
wastewater
c)
groundwater
d)
water pollution
14.

All of the land that supplies water to a particular river systems is included in a(n)

a)

aquifer.

b)

water table.

c)

watershed.

d)

recharge zone.

15.
Deltas forming at the mouths of rivers is called?
a)
Weathering
b)
Erosion
c)
Deposition
16.

Which is one way poor use of fertilizers in agriculture can affect the environment?

a)

It can increase the ability of many species to find suitable habitats.

b)

It can cause pollution of water in lakes and rivers.

c)

It can cause an increase in greenhouse gases.

d)

It can reduce the amount of sediment in the local waterways.

17.

Which are the MAIN causes of ocean currents?

a)

winds and differences in ocean water density

b)

sea surface temperature and ocean pH

c)

glacial melting and precipitation over ocean waters

d)

flooding of rivers and deep ocean thermal events

18.

Which situation will most likely result in flooding after heavy periods of rain?

a)

if groundwater levels are low

b)

if groundwater levels are high

c)

if freshwater aquifers are porous

d)

if freshwater aquifers are used for drinking water

19.

In the hydrologic cycle, which process contributes to a decrease in groundwater levels?

a)

infiltration

b)

evaporation

c)

precipitation

d)

condensation

20.

To increase their supply of freshwater, a growing community decides to double the number of wells drilled into the local aquifer. Which could be a result of drilling these wells?

a)

an increase in the amount of water flowing into the aquifer

b)

a decrease in the number of rivers flowing in the area

c)

an increase in arsenic pollution in the water

d)

a subsidence of the ground above the aquifer

21.

Which factors are most likely to cause the water table to rise?

a)

fast-moving surface water and permeable surfaces

b)

slow-moving surface water and permeable surfaces

c)

fast-moving surface water and impermeable surfaces

d)

fast-moving surface water and impermeable surfaces

22.

Which change would have the greatest likelihood of reducing the availability of potable water?

a)

an increase in atmospheric oxygen levels

b)

an increase in human population

c)

a decrease in nuclear energy usage

d)

a decrease in saltwater intrusions

23.

Which process most threatens the wetlands of NC?

a)

purifying water in wetlands

b)

regulating fishing in wetlands

c)

removing vegetation in wetlands

d)

tagging of nonnative species in wetlands

24.

Which is one way the changing of tides supports marine life along the North Carolina coast?

a)

by preventing algae blooms in areas close to land

b)

by attracting deepwater marine life to coastal shorelines

c)

by carrying nutrients to filter feeders, such as oysters and scallops

d)

by transporting atmospheric water vapor between the ocean and coastal shoreline

25.

What will MOST LIKELY happen if a warm ocean current travels north or south from the equator?

a)

The current will become warmer, causing it to become more dense and rise.

b)

The current will become cooler, causing it to become less dense and rise.

c)

The current will become cooler, causing it to become more dense and sink.

d)

The current will become warmer, causing it to become less dense and sink.

26.

If people in an area have limited access to freshwater resources, what will MOST LIKELY result?

a)

an increase in the number of aquifers supplying water to the area

b)

a decrease in sanitation and increase in disease in the area

c)

a decrease in weathering and erosion in the area

d)

an increase in biodiversity in the area

27.

Which is one way surface water may become groundwater?

a)

condensation

b)

evaporation

c)

infiltration

d)

runoff

28.

Which result is MOST LIKELY to occur after excessive withdrawal of groundwater in coastal areas?

a)

increased reliance on irrigation because of drier soil conditions

b)

dilution of brackish water in estuarine ecosystems

c)

reduced efficiency of local desalination facilities

d)

intrusion of salt water into the water table

29.

What will cause an increase in runoff and infiltration in an area?

a)

contouring farmland

b)

a drought

c)

digging wells

d)

excessive rain

30.

What is a possible consequence of the destruction of a marsh?

a)

decreased flooding

b)

decreased filtering of water

c)

increased types of plant life

d)

increased habitat for organisms

31.

What would MOST LIKELY result if more farms were developed along river basins in North Carolina?

a)

an increase in water pollution

b)

an increase in average rainfall

c)

an increase in nonnative species

d)

an increase in severe weather events

32.
Subsurface ocean currents continually circulate from the warm waters near the equator to the colder waters in other parts of the world.  What is the main cause of these currents?
a)
differences in the topography along the ocean floor
b)
difference in density of ocean water
c)
the rotation of Earth on its axis
d)
movement of the jet stream
33.
What is most responsible for the presence of groundwater in an area?
a)
the movement of water from a confined aquifer into surface water
b)
the movement of surface water and precipitation through soil and rock
c)
the movement of water from streams and rivers to watersheds
d)
the movement of surface water through impermeable rock
34.
Which is the most common contamination source for freshwater resources?
a)
runoff
b)
digging wells
c)
melting of glaciers
d)
lightning
35.
What causes Iceland to have a warmer-than-expected climate given its nearness to the Arctic Circle?
a)
Large geothermal vents release steam on a regular basis, keeping the temperature constant.
b)
Numerous volcanic lava flows help keep temperatures from becoming too low.
c)
Ocean currents bring relatively warm water, which helps moderate the temperature.
d)
The composition of the soil in Iceland allows it to retain a large amount of heat from the sun.
36.
A rural, forested area receives a lot of rain in a short amount of time.  What would most likely cause potential flooding in the area?
a)
if the area has a large uncharged aquifer beneath it
b)
if the water level in the area is below the zone of saturation
c)
if the ground of the area is already saturated with water
d)
if the ground of the area is mostly sandy soil
37.
Which is the best way to conserve worldwide freshwater resources?
a)
build more roads and highways for cars and trucks
b)
increase the amount of land used to raise cattle
c)
develop more modern coal-powered plants
d)
use more efficient irrigation techniques
38.

From greatest to least, rank the primary uses of freshwater around the world.

a)

personal, industry, agriculture

b)

industry, agriculture, personal

c)

agriculture, industry, personal

d)

industry, personal, agriculture

39.

The best way to reduce groundwater pollution is to

a)

increase the use of groundwater mining.

b)

prevent it from happening.

c)

build more desalination plants.

d)

speed up the eutrophication process.

40.

Which river basin do we live in?

a)

Haw River Basin

b)

Cape Fear River Basin

c)

Neuse River Basin

d)

Alamance Creek River Basin