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Water Resources and Water Pollution Quiz

Total questions: 21

Worksheet time: 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is an aquifer?

a)

B. Water stored beneath the Earth’s surface in sediment and rock formations

b)

D. Fresh water on Earth’s land surface

c)

C. The area of land that is drained by a river

d)

A. An underground formation that contains groundwater

2.

What is the water table?

a)

A. An underground formation that contains groundwater

b)

B. Water stored beneath the Earth’s surface in sediment and rock formations

c)

C. The top of the groundwater zone; fluctuates up and down depending on weather and removal/replenishment rates

d)

D. The area of land that is drained by a river

3.

What is the difference between the saturated and unsaturated zone?

a)

A. The amount of space between the particles that make up a rock

b)

C. The top of the groundwater zone; fluctuates up and down depending on weather and removal/replenishment rates

c)

B. The ability of rock or soil to allow water to flow through it

d)

D. Underground areas of soil/rock where fresh water fills spaces between particles

4.

How does water end up as ground water?

a)

C. Through the process of percolation

b)

D. Through the process of precipitation

c)

B. Through the process of condensation

d)

A. Through the process of evaporation

5.

What is the result when water is pumped faster from a well than the aquifer near the well can be recharged?

a)

D. Groundwater monitoring wells

b)

A. Land subsidence and sinkhole development

c)

B. Saltwater intrusion

d)

C. Depletion of the aquifer

6.

What is potable water?

a)

D. The artificial application of water to the land or soil

b)

C. Safe to drink; drinkable

c)

B. A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease

d)

A. Water that collects on the surface of the ground

7.

What is the main cause of water pollution?

a)

B. Mining

b)

C. Agriculture

c)

A. Industrial facilities

d)

D. All of the above

8.

What is point-source pollution?

a)

A. Pollution from diffuse sources

b)

B. Pollution from a specific identifiable location

c)

C. Pollution from agricultural areas draining into a river

d)

D. Pollution from urban and industrial runoff

9.

What is the leading cause of water pollution in streams and rivers?

a)

C. Bacterial biodegradation

b)

D. Overloading with pollutants

c)

B. Chemical runoff from agricultural areas

d)

A. Urban and industrial runoff

10.

What is the primary sewage treatment process?

a)

D. Reverse osmosis

b)

C. Microfiltration

c)

B. A biological process

d)

A. A physical/mechanical process

11.

What is the leading cause of marine pollution?

a)

D. Crude and refined petroleum

b)

C. Municipal sewage from coastal areas

c)

B. Urban and industrial runoff

d)

A. Toxic chemicals from industrial facilities

12.

What is the best way to reduce water pollution?

a)

D. All of the above

b)

C. Using natural methods to treat sewage

c)

B. Encouraging recycling and reuse of resources

d)

A. Treating sewage with natural methods

13.

What is the purpose of gray water?

a)

B. To flush away waste

b)

C. To water lawns

c)

A. To clean equipment

d)

D. All of the above

14.

What is the primary method to reduce nonpoint sources of surface water pollution?

a)

B. Use slow-release fertilizers

b)

D. All of the above

c)

A. Reduce soil erosion by keeping crop land covered with vegetation

d)

C. Encourage organic farming

15.

What is the purpose of sustainable ways to reduce and prevent water pollution?

a)

A. Find substitutes for toxic pollutants

b)

B. Remove hazardous waste before it reaches sewage treatment facilities

c)

C. Slow population growth and reduce poverty

d)

D. All of the above

16.

What is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater?

a)

A. Filtration

b)

B. Sedimentation

c)

C. Water treatment

d)

D. All of the above

17.

What is the main source of groundwater?

a)

A. Rivers and lakes

b)

B. Rain and snow

c)

C. Oceans and seas

d)

D. Springs and wells

18.

What is the main purpose of a water treatment plant?

a)

A. To remove contaminants from water

b)

B. To add minerals to water

c)

C. To heat water

d)

D. To cool water

19.

What is the process of water moving from the surface to underground called?

a)

A. Evaporation

b)

B. Condensation

c)

C. Infiltration

d)

D. Precipitation

20.

What is the main cause of groundwater pollution?

a)

A. Industrial waste

b)

B. Agricultural runoff

c)

C. Household waste

d)

D. All of the above

21.

What is the purpose of a water recycling plant?

a)

A. To remove contaminants from water

b)

B. To reuse treated wastewater for purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation

c)

C. To heat water

d)

D. To cool water