53) Which of the following is normally true of a hot desert?
A) Potential evapotranspiration exceeds actual evapotranspiration.
B) Actual evapotranspiration exceeds potential evapotranspiration.
C) Potential evapotranspiration equals actual evapotranspiration.
D) It is impossible to say what the normal relationship between potential and actual
evapotranspiration would be in a desert.
54) A water surplus occurs when
A) the potential evapotranspiration demand cannot be satisfied by precipitation inputs.
B) the additional inputs of water into a system are not enough to satisfy potential
evapotranspiration.
C) additional water exists after potential evapotranspiration is satisfied by precipitation inputs.
D) potential evapotranspiration is greater than soil moisture.
55) The difference between the wilting point and field capacity is approximately equal to
A) wilting point water.
B) gravitational water.
C) available water.
D) hygroscopic water.
56) The texture and structure of the soil dictate all of the following except
A) the wilting point
B) available pore spaces (i.e., the soil’s porosity).
C) flow of water through soil (i.e., the soil’s permeability).
D) hygroscopic water.
E) the field capacity.
57)
The water balance for Kingsport, Tennessee exhibits
A) a net water surplus (SURPL) during each month of the year.
B) net demands for water for 10 months of the year.
C) water deficits in the summer months.
D) water deficits each month of the year.
58)
Potential evapotranspiration for Phoenix, Arizona is highest during
A) March.
B) February.
C) September.
D) July.
59)
Actual evapotranspiration for Phoenix, Arizona is highest during
A) March.
B) February.
C) September.
D) July.
60)
Berkeley, CA has the highest amount of precipitation during the
A) Spring.
B) Summer.
C) Autumn.
D) Winter.
61) Which of the following is not an example of a potential surface water resource?
A) artificial lakes
B) aquifers
C) glaciers
D) rivers
62) The largest fresh water lake in the world by volume is
A) Lake Superior.
B) Lake Baikal.
C) Lake Tanganyika.
D) Lake Michigan.
63) The largest reservoir in the world by volume is
A) Lake Nasser.
B) Lake Kariba.
C) Lake Votka.
D) Lake Guri.
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64) Hydropower power currently provides the world with approximately ________ of the
world’s electricity.
A) 1/2
B) 2/3rds
C) 1/4th
D) 1/5th
65) Which of the following is not a cited benefit of China’s Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze
River?
A) hydroelectric power
B) redistribution of water supplies
C) pollution abatement
D) flood control
66) The Colorado River is an exotic stream. This means
A) it contains a variety of exotic species, which it transports from its source to all regions
through which it flows.
B) it mostly flows through arid environments, though its headwaters are located in a region of
water surplus.
C) it is used for multiple purposes, including hydroelectricity generation, irrigation, water
supplies, and recreation.
D) it crosses multiple countries, as well as states, in its path to the sea.
67) The California Water Project is
A) a proposed dam of the Colorado River between the Parker and Palo Verde Dam.
B) a multi-year plan designed to harvest rainwater for agricultural purposes.
C) a water conveyance system to distribute water resources throughout the state.
D) an ambition goal to build a hydroelectric power station larger than China’s Three Gorges.
68) The water in wetlands is
A) always freshwater.
B) always saltwater.
C) either freshwater or saltwater.
D) too polluted to use as a water resource.
69) Which of the following is not a freshwater wetland?
A) Tidal marsh.
B) Bog.
C) Peatland.
D) Swamp.
70) Approximately what percent of the world’s irrigation water is from groundwater?
A) 15 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 80 percent
71) Approximately what percent of the U.S. population derives a portion of its fresh water from
groundwater sources?
A) 10 percent
B) 30 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 90 percent
72) The main source of groundwater is
A) hygroscopic water in the soil.
B) surface water where it intersects the zone of recharge.
C) precipitation that percolates downward as gravitational water.
D) the zone of aeration above the water table.
73) If one were to map a vertical profile of groundwater resources, which of the following is
correct order from top to bottom?
A) zone of aeration—water table—zone of saturation—impermeable rock
B) water table—zone of aeration—zone of saturation—impermeable rock
C) zone of aeration—zone of saturation—water table—impermeable rock
D) zone of saturation—water table—zone of aeration—impermeable rock
74) Which condition may exist when the pontentiometric surface is above ground level
A) artesian water may rise to the surface.
B) drawdown in the well.
C) groundwater recharge of the aquifer.
D) a confined aquifer may become an unconfined aquifer.
75) Drawdown refers to
A) the potentiometric surface of an aquifer.
B) effluent conditions where groundwater feed streamflow.
C) the aquifer recharge area.
D) the lowering of an aquifer from overuse
76) The utilization of aquifers beyond their flow and recharge capacities is known as
A) the potentiometric surface.
B) influent conditions.
C) groundwater mining.
D) the contact surface.
77) Which of the following accurately describes annual groundwater withdrawal in the United
States and Canada?
A) Withdrawals increased 150 percent between 1950 and 2000.
B) The percentage of withdrawals in the United States and Canada are about the same.
C) Groundwater pumping is presently not exceeding water recharge rates.
D) The amount withdrawn is equal to river discharges in the United States.
78) The line of contact between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation is known as the
A) water table.
B) saturation contact.
C) influent line.
D) aquiclude.
79) A water-bearing rock stratum is called a(n)
A) water table.
B) aquiclude.
C) zone of aeration.
D) aquifer.
80) The term “groundwater mining” refers to
A) the removal of overlying rock to reach groundwater.
B) the excavation of tunnels to reach groundwater.
C) the use of groundwater to mine minerals.
D) the removal of groundwater at a rate faster than that at which it can be replaced.
81) The term “cone of depression” refers to
A) a change in the level of the soil water zone.
B) a depression in the water table formed by rapid groundwater withdrawal.
C) a depression in Earth’s surface formed by groundwater withdrawal.
D) a graphical representation of the decline in the rate of groundwater flow as an aquifer dries
out.
82) Which of the following is a potential source of groundwater pollution?
A) septic tanks
B) pesticides and fertilizers
C) dumps
D) septic tanks, pesticides and fertilizers, and dumps
83) Which of the following is true regarding groundwater?
A) It is unlimited when compared with the amount of surface water supplies.
B) When polluted, it is actually easier to clean up than is surface water.
C) The total amount of groundwater has been reduced by the mining of water.
D) In terms of total amount, it is second to streams in the United States.
84) The largest practical potential source of fresh water in North America is
A) groundwater.
B) ice sheets and glaciers.
C) stream discharge.
D) soil moisture.
85) Excess surface water percolates through the zone of ________ to reach the zone of ________
and the water table.
A) hydration; infiltration
B) porosity; permeability
C) dehydration; hydration
D) aeration; saturation
86) Which of the following is not necessary for an aquifer to exist?
A) porosity
B) permeability
C) hygroscopic water
D) zone of saturation
87) Approximately ________ countries are currently experiencing water shortages.
A) 5
B) 10
C) 80
D) 165
88) The permanent remove of water from the immediate water environment is known as
A) water withdrawal.
B) nonconsumptive use.
C) consumptive use.
D) offstream.
89) Which of the following is an example of the consumptive use of water?
A) water which evaporates from an irrigated field
B) hydroelectric power production
C) using water for a bath
D) river navigation
90) The High Plains aquifer
A) has little importance as a freshwater resource.
B) was not heavily mined until the 1960s.
C) is also known as the Garber-Wellington Aquifer.
D) is North America’s largest known aquifer system.
91) Which of the following is not considered an issue pertaining to water resources in the future?
A) Growing populations will continue to exploit water resources.
B) Pollution will limit the water-resource base.
C) Regional drought will increase pressure on groundwater resources.
D) Desalination will exacerbate dwindling freshwater supplies.
9.2 True/False Questions
1) The overall quantity of water on Earth is constantly fluctuating as evidenced by changes in sea
level.
2) Water is a renewable resource, constantly cycling through the environment in the hydrologic
cycle.
3) Water and water vapor is entered Earth’s early atmosphere through outgassing and eventually
led to the formation of the Earth’s ponds, lakes, seas, and, eventually, oceans.
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4) An erupting geyser is an example of outgassing.
5) Water is the third most common compound on the surface of the Earth, after carbon dioxide
and methane.
6) Sea-level change caused by glacial activity is known as glacioeustasy.
7) Oceans and land surface are distributed evenly on the Earth.
8) The Northern Hemisphere is dominated by oceans, whereas the Southern Hemisphere is
dominated by land masses.
9) Less than 3% of Earth’s waters are classified as fresh water.
10) Of all the surface freshwater on Earth, over 99% is in ice and glaciers.
11) Combined, water in the atmosphere and in rivers and streams accounts for approximately 4%
of all freshwater.
12) There is more groundwater than there is water in freshwater lakes, the atmosphere, and rivers
and streams combined.
13) By volume, the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean basin.
14) The three main components of the hydrologic cycle are atmosphere, surface, and subsurface.
15) Most evaporation occurs over the land surface.
16) Transpiration refers to the release of water to the atmosphere from the Earth’s crust.
17) Though 14% of global evapotranspiration occurs over the land, 22% of global precipitation
occurs over land, indicating a contribution from evaporation from the world’s oceans.
18) Precipitation intercepted by plants may eventually reach the Earth’s surface through stem
flow.
19) When the soil is saturated, additional inputs of water may puddle on the surface or flow
downslope as overland flow.