wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Water Ecosystems/ Stewardship

Total questions: 42

Worksheet time: 1hrs 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Which condition will increase the number of fish in an environment?
a)
upwelling
b)
warm current
c)
El Nino
d)
increased salinity
2.
Why is only a small portion of Earth's freshwater available to drink?
a)
Most is polluted.
b)
Most is frozen.
c)
Most is too salty.
d)
Most is underground.
3.

Increased nitrates (nitrogen fertilizer) in water will:

a)

decrease turbidity.

b)

increase algal bloom.

c)

increase D.O.

d)

increase pH.

4.
The land area that supplies water to a river system is called a
a)
water table
b)
trailer
c)
house
d)
watershed
5.

The term describing underground layers of rock or sediment which transmit groundwater is called what?

a)

Saturated Zone

b)

Influent Streams

c)

Aquicludes

d)

Aquifers

6.

What is the major difference between porosity and permeability?

a)

Permeability describes the amount of water a rock or sediment layer can hold, and porosity is the ability of the rock or sediment layer to allow water to pass through it.

b)

Its depth has the best potential for a good supply of water.

c)

Porosity describes the amount of water a rock or sediment layer can hold, and permeability is the ability of the rock or sediment layer to allow water to pass through it.

d)

Porosity describes groundwater and permeability describes underground oil and natural gas.

7.

Land area drained by a stream system is known as what?

a)

Tributary

b)

Watershed

c)

River Basin

d)

Aquifer

8.

Water that lies on the surface of the Earth like streams, river, and lakes are considered what?

a)

Surface Water

b)

Groundwater

c)

Aquifer

d)

Flood

9.

How would several wells in a given area affect the balance of groundwater recharge and discharge?

a)

The wells would provide dissolved oxygen.

b)

The wells would increase the water table level by adding water from runoff.

c)

The wells would deplete the groundwater which is usually supplied by percolation from rain.

d)

The wells would provide storage areas for groundwater to maintain the water level.

10.

Nonpoint pollution is hard to control because_____.

a)

it often involves very large volumes of water coming from a single source.

b)

“nonpoint” means that there is no point in trying to control it.

c)

it is caused by small amounts of pollution from many places.

d)

it contains high levels of pathogens.

11.

Most nonpoint pollution comes from_______.

a)

water put back into lakes and rivers by wastewater treatment plants.

b)

untreated stormwater flow (runoff) draining from paved areas and farm fields.

c)

slowly moving nutrient-rich water.

d)

phosphorus in laundry detergents.

12.

Human (as a whole population) use freshwater primarily for_________.

a)

Agricultural (animal and crop farming)

b)

Drinking and Cooking

c)

Mining and Industrial Processes

d)

Electrical Production

13.

If excessive amounts of hot water are discharged into a lake, the immediate result will most likely be...

a)

an increase in sewage content

b)

a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the lake

c)

an increase of mercury in the lake

d)

a decrease in nitrates

14.
Discharge entering a stream at a specific, detectable point such as a pipe or outfall.
a)
Point source pollution
b)
Non-point source pollution
c)

storm water

d)

infiltration

15.
Rapid, dense growth of algae that robs the water of oxygen as it dies and decomposes.
a)
Algal bloom
b)
Sediment
c)
Point source pollution
d)
Non-point source pollution
16.
What effect can increased turbidity have on water temperature?
a)
Decreases temperature by blocking light.
b)
Decreases temperature by stimulating algal growth.
c)
Increases temperature  when the particles absorb sunlight
d)
There is no relationship between turbidity and temperature.
17.
Estuaries are known as the __________ of the sea.
a)
nurseries
b)
shopping malls
c)
grocery store
d)
garden
18.
What is turbidity a measure of?
a)
Photosynthesis in water.
b)
Change in biological activity.
c)
Cloudiness of water.
d)
Solubility of atmospheric gases in water.
19.
What is the most immediate effect of nitrate of phosphate pollution? 
a)
Increased algae growth
b)
Greater macroinvertebrate  diversity
c)
A decrease in decomposer activity.
d)
Decreased turbidity.
20.

Macroinvertebrates such as stoneflies, mayflies and water boatmen (AKA bioindicators) require high levels of dissolved oxygen and their abundance is an indication of:

a)

Poor water quality

b)

Good water quality

c)

Don't tell us anything about water quality

d)

Invertibrates don't tell us anything about water quality

21.

Eutrophication is characterized by...

a)

low nutrients, low oxygen

b)

low nutrients, high oxygen

c)

high nutrients, low oxygen

d)

high nutrients, high oxygen

22.

Why is the salinity level constantly changing in an estuary?

a)

salt is continually added to the watershed in the form of acid rain

b)

the salt water from the ocean and fresh water from the watershed are constantly mixing

c)

estuaryies evaporate at an unusually fast rate leaving more salt behind, but then the rains come and dilute the water

d)

because they are so high up in the watershed, near the mountain rainges

23.

Which best explains the importance of estuaries?

a)

Estuaries are freshwater areas that support a large amount of living things.

b)

Estuaries are areas where freshwater and salt water collide, resulting in a large amount of biodiversity.

c)

Estuaries are tropical areas that support an abundance of life found usually in cold regions of the ocean.

d)

Estuaries are nutrient­-rich areas because they have large amounts of carbon dioxide seeping into the water from the ground below.

24.
Discharge entering a stream at a specific, detectable point such as a pipe or outfall.
a)
Point source pollution
b)
Non-point source pollution
c)
Fog
d)
Riparian
25.

Water that flows along Earth's surface to eventually return to the ocean is called ___.

a)

Runoff

b)

Storm drain

c)

Surface water

d)

Tributary

26.

Circulating water (upwelling) in lakes and ponds is important for distributing

a)

heat

b)

oxygen

c)

nutrients

d)

all of these

27.
How does an algae bloom start?
a)
it gets a green light
b)
extra nutrients in the water
c)
extra DO in the water
d)
fish create it
28.
How does photosynthesis by aquatic plants impact dissolved oxygen levels in the water?
a)
the plants bring in dissolved oxygen with photosynthesis and reduce DO levels
b)
the plants give off dissolved oxygen with photosynthesis and increase DO levels
c)
the plants photosynthesis does not affect DO levels
d)
photosynthesis increases the temperatures with decrease DO levels
29.
How can oxygen be removed from the water?
a)
Aquatic animals breathing during the day and night
b)
Bacteria decomposing dead plants and animals and using dissolved   oxygen to do this
c)
When temperature increases 
d)
All of the above
30.

The higher the temperature, the more dissolved oxygen in water.

a)

True

b)

False

31.

Which would MOST LIKELY result in an unhealthy aquatic habitat?

a)

a decrease in turbidity

b)

a decrease in nitrates levels

c)

an increase in water temperature

d)

an increase in dissolved oxygen levels

32.

Pure water is neutral. If water is neither an acid nor a base, what is the pH of water?

a)

3

b)

7

c)

9

d)

14

33.

Which best describes the relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen in a lake?

a)

As temperature increases, dissolved oxygen increases.

b)

As temperature increases, dissolved oxygen decreases.

c)

As temperature decreases, dissolved oxygen decreases.

d)

A change in temperature has no effect on dissolved oxygen.

34.

Which best explains why a scientist would use nets to capture and count organisms in a river?

a)

to measure pH

b)

to measure turbidity

c)

to measure biodiversity

d)

to measure temperature

35.

What does pH measure?

a)

acidity/alkalinity

b)

dissolved oxygen

c)

nutrient level

d)

turbidity

36.

Which is the greatest impact of large quantities of sediment flowing into North Carolina’s rivers and streams?

a)

Sediment poisons fish.

b)

Sediment prevents light from reaching plants.

c)

Sediment interferes with the ability for fish to find mates.

d)

Sediment increases the depth of rivers and streams, reducing the amount of flowing water.

37.

Turbidity measurements were taken at different distances from the shore of a lake.


Which best explains why the turbidity increases as water samples are taken closer to the shore?

a)

Shoreline erosion causes sediment to wash into the lake.

b)

Sediment is carried from the middle of the lake to the shore by wind.

c)

Swimmers stir up sediment by splashing in the water near the shore.

d)

Fish stir up sediment while feeding on plants that grow close to the shore.

38.

Which glass contains water with high turbidity?

a)

Glass 1

b)

Glass 2

39.

pH greater than 7 is considered to be

a)

neutral.

b)

basic.

c)

acidic.

d)

polluted.

40.

pH value of less than 7 is considered to be

a)

polluted.

b)

basic.

c)

like drain cleaner.

d)

acidic.

41.
According to the pH range which substance is more acidic than lemon juice
a)
Hydrochloric acid
b)
cabbage
c)
milk
d)

lye

42.
Bleach is a strong base, what is the pH level of bleach?
a)
13
b)
14
c)
1
d)
2