Ch. 11 SmartBook
_____ are scattered or diffuse, having no specific location where they discharge into a particular body of water.
Nonpoint-source pollutants
Eutrophication occurs in ponds and lakes, and in marine ecosystems ________. (Mark all that apply.)
in near-shore waters in partially enclosed bays or estuaries
Detection of coliform bacteria in water indicates ________. (Mark all that apply.)
the water likely has infectious pathogens present the water is unsafe for drinking
The major role of the atmosphere, as it pertains to being a water supply storage compartment, is _______.
to redistribute water over landmasses
Areas of high atmospheric pressure have _____ precipitation. The location of the world's largest deserts are good examples.
low
Oligotrophic waters have ______. (Mark all that apply.)
low nutrient levels clear waters low biological productivity
People in northern Europe tend to eat less ______, and their climate is ______, so water consumption per person is lower than in the United States.
meat; cooler
Inorganic pollutants include ________. (Mark all that apply.)
metals salts acids
The primary sources of pathogens that cause waterborne diseases is untreated human and animal _____.
wastes
Cholera, typhoid, enteritis, and polio are all ______ diseases that seriously affect human populations.
waterborne
Per capita domestic water use is greatest in ________.
wealthy countries
Conserving ______ allows more surface water to slowly seep into aquifers, and conserving ______ slows surface water drainage on steep slopes.
wetlands; forests
What is the source for the largest volume of pollutants that affect groundwater?
Agriculture
Rank the following water consumers worldwide, from the biggest consumer on top to the smallest on the bottom.
Agriculture Industrial Domestic
Which of the following are water conservation techniques? (Mark all that apply.)
Use drought-resistant plants in your landscaping. Don't flush the toilet every time. Use a low-volume showerhead.
Which of the following are human-caused ocean pollution sources? (Mark all that apply.)
Oil spills Toxic chemicals Plastic garbage
Why is the average per capita use of water in the United States quite high compared to other countries?
People in the U.S. consume a lot of beef, the production of which takes a lot of water.
What group of Americans is most dependent on groundwater for their water supply?
People who live in rural communities
Which ocean pollutant are you most likely to encounter on a remote, uninhabited island?
Plastic garbage
What type of pollution comes from a specific source, making it easy to monitor and regulate?
Point source
______ people often have less access to clean water than ______. (Mark all that apply.)
Poor; rich people Rural; city dwellers
Worldwide, which type of industrial water use accounts for the greatest withdrawal?
Power production
Which of the following is not a point-source water pollutant?
Runoff from a golf course
The main sources of pathogens in water are ________. (Mark all that apply.)
animal wastes from feedlots untreated or improperly treated human waste
Water pollution is defined as ______.
anything that degrades water quality
A(n) _____ is a geologic layer that readily holds and transmits groundwater.
aquifer
The cheapest and most effective way to reduce pollution is to _____.
avoid producing pollutants in the first place
In which room is most water used in the typical U.S. household?
bathroom
When water evaporates from moist surfaces, falls again as rain or snow, passes through living organisms, and returns to the ocean, the process is known as the _____ cycle.
hydrologic
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) tests are useful in determining ________.
if organic waste is present in water
Sources of pollution that can be specifically located and are easily identified are called _____ sources.
point
Water _____ is anything that degrades water quality.
pollution
The fresh water within a river comes from ______. (Choose all that apply.)
precipitation groundwater snowmelt
Conserving specific areas of land, such as wetlands and forests, helps to ______.
protect water resources
The main function of the hydrologic cycle is to ________.
redistribute water around the globe
River discharge is a measure of _______.
the amount of water passing a fixed point in a given amount of time
Improper disposal of waste and pesticide runoff are the two primary sources of ______.
toxic organic chemicals in water
A person in a wealthy country uses ______ times the amount of water compared to a person in a poor country.
10
How do humans cause thermal pollution? (Mark all that apply.)
By discharging heated water By altering runoff patterns By altering vegetation cover
Which of the following is a major location for runoff rich in viruses, bacteria, nitrates, and phosphates?
Cattle feedlots
Rank the following items from the lowest amount of water needed to produce 1 kg of that item at the top to the most water at the bottom.
Corn Rice Pork Beef
Which of the following are negative qualities of bottled water? (Mark all that apply.)
Creating and distributing bottled water is very energy-intensive. 80 percent of the bottles purchased in the United States end up in landfills.
Where would you expect to see an oxygen sag in a stream that is contaminated with sewage?
Downstream of the source
True or false: Agricultural crops such as corn and wheat have a higher water demand, per kilogram of product produced, than livestock such as pork and beef.
False
True or false: Eutrophication is always caused by humans.
False
What are the major sources of organic pollutants? (Mark all that apply.)
Improper disposal of household waste Runoff of pesticides from farm fields, golf courses, and so on Improper disposal of industrial waste
In which region is sewage treatment either totally lacking or very inadequate? (Mark all that apply.)
India Undeveloped African countries China
How does excess sediment in water cause problems? (Mark all that apply.)
It can fill in lakes and reservoirs. It can increase the cost of water purification. It can obstruct shipping channels.
Which of the following are characteristics of the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch?" (Mark all that apply.)
It is larger than the size of Texas. It collects trash from oceans all over the world.
Of the following, which is most likely the leader in contaminating groundwater with toxins?
Landfills and waste-disposal sites
The processes occurring at a recharge zone are best described by which of the following?
The percolation of water into an aquifer
Which of the following accurately describe the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? (Choose all that apply.)
There are actually two separate patches. It is composed of bits of plastic.
Which of the following are true about water?
Water can dissolve nutrients and distribute them to cells. It can modify the earth's surface.
Which of the following are sources of inorganic chemicals? (Mark all that apply.)
Weathered rocks Mining, processing, using, and discarding minerals
List the parts of an aquifer in correct order from earth's surface downward.
Zone of aeration Water table Zone of saturation
An oxygen sag, or a lowering of oxygen levels, in a stream usually indicates ________.
a pollution source upstream
The quality of water is often measured by the concentrations of _____ bacteria; the presence of these implies the presence of infectious pathogens.
coliform
The 1993 ______ outbreak in Milwaukee's public water system sickened 400,000 people.
cryptosporidium
A(n) _____ _____ is created when excessive nutrients in a water system cause eutrophication, and animals such as fish and shellfish die from a lack of _____.
dead zone; oxygen
When an aquifer is overpumped, it becomes ______; natural ______ through precipitation and other means will bring water back into the aquifer.
depleted; recharge
High mercury levels in the human body from eating fish can lead to ________. (Mark all that apply.)
developmental problems endangerment of a fetus mental problems
To understand pollution levels and overall health of a water body, including variables such as temperature and aeration, the ________ test is best.
dissolved oxygen
Climate change is expected to ________. (Mark all that apply.)
exacerbate water scarcity in regions that are already dry increase precipitation levels in areas that are already wet
A dead zone is created when ______.
excessive nutrients create eutrophication
Eutrophication is a natural, successional change in a pond or lake system that occurs when ______. Humans also contribute to eutrophication by adding nutrients to a water body.
extra nutrients brought in by streams accelerate plant growth
In the United States, groundwater is used most often by rural communities and for _____ and domestic purposes.
farming
Atmospheric deposition is a ________.
form of nonpoint-source pollution
The poles receive very little precipitation because they are areas of _____ atmospheric pressure.
high
Worldwide crop irrigation is responsible for about _______% of total water withdrawal.
75
What factors control where on the planet there will be water deficits and where there will be surpluses? (Mark all that apply.)
Proximity to water sources influences precipitation. Global atmospheric circulation creates regions of persistent high air pressure and low rainfall. Topography influences precipitation distribution.
What type of water pollution is considered not only the largest source in the United States, but is responsible for widespread problems involving drinking water, turbines, fish, shipping, and recreation?
Sediment
What are the present challenges to achieving national goals in water quality in the United States? (Mark all that apply.)
Sediment Nutrients Pathogens
Which of the following is not true regarding other countries and their water pollution problems and solutions? (Choose all that apply.)
Sewage treatment in Spain covers about 50% of the population. Russia is considered a leader in water quality solutions.
How do mountains affect water distribution? (Mark all that apply.)
They create rain shadows where the leeward side of the mountain receives less precipitation. They serve in the creation of clouds. They serve in encouraging rainfall as air rises and cools causing moisture to condense.
What characteristics of wetlands are important for humans? (Mark all that apply.)
They help slow waters down, decreasing the severity of flooding and erosion. Their plant growth stabilizes the soil. They hold back surface runoff, allowing time for infiltration into aquifers.
Rank the uses of water in a typical U.S. household, with the highest use on top of the list.
Toilets Laundry Showers Dishwashers
Choose from the list below all of the waterborne diseases that seriously affect humans.
Typhoid Dysentery Yellow fever Cholera
One of the newest large-scale uses of water for industrial purposes is for the process of hydraulic _____.
fracturing
The fresh water held in lakes ______.
is concentrated in the few largest lakes, such as the Great Lakes and Lake Baikal
Under conditions of (cultural) eutrophication, what undesirable results can occur? (Mark all that apply.)
Algal blooms Thick growths of aquatic plants Unpleasant odors
Which of the following are true regarding the recharge and depletion of aquifers? (Choose all that apply.)
Lack of precipitation in an area will affect a shallow aquifer. Aquifers that are overused become depleted. Recharge of aquifers can take decades or centuries.
How can policies encourage personal water conservation? (Mark all that apply.)
Mandate water-efficient fixtures for new installations. Set water pricing so that the more you use, the more you are charged per gallon.
Which metal is the most widespread contaminant in the United States?
Mercury
Why is thermal pollution dangerous for organisms? (Mark all that apply.)
Oxygen solubility in water decreases as temperatures increase. Aquatic organisms tend to be poorly adapted to rapid temperature change.
Oligotrophic waters have ______ nutrition.
little
An area where infiltration of water into an aquifer occurs is called ________.
a recharge zone
With atmospheric deposition of a contaminant, the pollution is carried by ________.
air currents
Water rising to the surface without being pumped, due to underground pressure, is known as _______.
an artesian spring
Current global climate changes are expected to cause arid areas to _____.
become even dryer
If you buy water with a label that says artesian, it mean that your water ______.
came from a free-flowing source
Groundwater in the Midwest is commonly contaminated with _____ such as atrazine and alachlor used on corn and soybean crops.
herbicides
Public health experts say that municipal water is often safer than bottled water because _____.
in most cities the water must be monitored every hour for up to 25 different chemicals and pathogens
Currently worldwide water use is ________.
increasing
Global human water use is ____________.
increasing twice as fast as population growth
One result of removing ______ from gasoline has been a decrease in surface-water pollution.
lead
The United Nations estimates that ______ people lack access to safe drinking water.
over a billion
Instead of releasing materials as toxic water contaminants, companies can _____ and reclaim these materials for economic benefit.
recycle
The atmosphere is among the ________ of the major water compartments on earth in terms of total water supply.
smallest
When too much groundwater is withdrawn, pore spaces within aquifers compress and the ground surface undergoes _____, permanently lowering the elevation of the land surface.
subsidence
Withdrawal of large amounts of groundwater results in ________ or the settling of the ground above the aquifer.
subsidence