ESSC 108 TEST 3
Which of these products requires the most water to produce? A. 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of grain-fed beef B. 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of corn C. 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of paper
1 kg of grain fed beef
Approximately what percentage of Earth's hydrosphere is fresh water? A. 97% B. 3% C. 30% D. 1%
3
About how many dams are there in the world? A. 500 B. 5,000 C. 50,000 D. 500,000
50,000
Approximately what percentage of Earth's surface is covered with water: A. 30% B. 50% C. 95% D. 70%
70
Most of the Earth's liquid fresh water is found in: A. groundwater B. lakes and streams C. reservoirs D. glaciers
A. groundwater
The movement of water down into the ground is called: A. precipitation B. infiltration C. evaporation D. transpiration
Infiltration
One of the largest aquifers in the United States, supplying water to many central US states is the _______. A. Susquehanna B. Edwards C. Ogallala D. Ozark
Ogallala
Which one of the following statements about the water table is true? A. The water table generally follows the topography of the land surface. B. The water table is found in the zone of aeration. C. There is only one water table below all land surfaces. D. The level of the water table remains constant.
The water table generally follow the topography of the land surface
The shape of a valley eroded by a glacier is A. Y-shaped B. U-shaped C. V-shaped D. X-shaped
U shaped
The most flat, level places on Earth are known as: A. seamounts B. continental rise C. deserts D. abyssal plains
abyssal plants
Which is the largest consumer of water in the U.S.? A. domestic B. industrial C. agriculture
agriculture
Sediments deposited by rivers are known as: A. talus B. regolith C. alluvium
alluvium
The largest polar desert on the Earth is found in: A. Canada B. Greenland C. Antarctica
antartica
A section of rock strata or sediments that allows movement of water is called an: A. aqualung B. aquaman C. aquitard D. aquifer
aquifer
A layer of sediment or rock that does not allow water to pass through it is known as a(n): A. aquitard B. aquifer C. aquaman
aquitard
A long ridge formed by glacial erosion is called a(n): A. glacial trough B. fiord C. arete
arete
In a straight river, the area of the river with the fastest water velocity is: A. along the edges B. at the bottom in the middle C. at the top in the middle
at the top in the middle
Which type of sand dune looks like a crescent? A. transverse B. barchan C. longitudinal D. star
barchan
The measurement of the topography of the ocean floor using sonar is called: A. radiometry B. seismology C. bathymetry D. geochronology
bathymetry
In which type of stream transport load are large particles moved slowly along the bottom? A. suspended load B. head load C. dissolved load D. bed load
bed load
Creatures that spend their time on the ocean bottom are known as: A. nekton B. benthos C. plankton
benthos
At the end of glacier, large pieces of ice can break off - this is called: A. crevassing B. calving C. plucking
calving
Karst topography occurs in regions that have experienced large amounts of A. volcanic activity B. wind erosion C. chemical weathering D. groundwater pollution
chemical weathering
The chemical used to disinfect drinking water is: A. lead B. fluoride C. chlorine
chlorine
Which sediment would have the lowest permeability? A. sand B. silt C. clay
clay
What uses more water per usage? A. automatic dishwasher B. clothes washing machine C. shaving with water running
clothes washing machine
The maximum particle size that a river can hold is called the stream's: A. velocity B. confidence C. competence D. capacity
competence
The glacier covering Greenland is of which type? A. continental glacier B. valley glacier C. piedmont glacier D. ice cap
continental glacier
Which glacier type typically covers large areas of the Earth's surface? A. continental glacier B. valley glacier C. piedmont glacier D. ice cap
continental glacier
You'd most likely find a submarine canyon on the: A. mid-ocean ridge B. continental margin C. ocean basin floor
continental margin
In the southern hemisphere, due to the coriolis effect, surface ocean currents move: A. clockwise B. counterclockwise
counterclockwise
The uppermost point of a water wave is known as the: A. trough B. wavelength C. crest
crest
Heavy precipitation, for example the rain in tropical areas, results in a(n) in ocean salinity. A. increase B. decrease
decrease
Deep circulation of ocean water is primarily due to the combined effects of temperature and salinity resulting in changes in ocean: A. velocity B. biological activity C. seismicity D. density
density
At the mouth of a river, the primary process is: A. erosion B. transpiration C. deposition
deposition
The pumping of water from a well (drawdown) can cause a cone of in the water table. A. oppression B. erosion C. aeration D. depression
depression
When wind removes most of the clay, silt and sand particles from the land surface, it results in: A. sand dunes B. loess C. desert pavement D. ripples
desert pavement
The amount of water that flows in a river channel in a given amount of time is called A. velocity B. capacity C. discharge D. volume
discharge
Ions in solution in a stream are part of the: A. suspended load B. head load C. dissolved load D. bed load
dissolved load
Fish kills downstream from sewage treatment plants are most commonly due to: A. toxic chemicals B. not enough food C. dissolved oxygen depletion
dissolved oxygen depletion
The surface land area that feeds rivers and streams is called: A. groundwater B. valley C. deposition basin D. drainage basin
drainage basin
Elongated football-shaped features caused by glacial deposition and retreat are called: A. kettle B. esker C. drumlin D. kame
drumlin
A desert stream that appears only after a rain is called: A. creek B. ephemeral C. arroyo D. bajada
ephemeral
An enormous boulder deposited by a glacier is called a(n): A. kettle B. arête C. giganton D. erratic
erratic
The Chesapeake Bay on the east coast of the US is a flooded river channel known as a(n): A. confluence B. distributary C. estuary
estuary
The brittle top 50 meters of a glacier is known as the Zone of . A. friction B. plasticity C. death D. fracture
fracture
A wave will break when it gets closer to the shoreline because of forces. A. coriolis B. frictional C. chemical
frictional
Topography in lower Michigan is dominated by the action of: A. glacial erosional processes B. igneous and volcanic processes C. glacial depositional processes
glacial depositional processes
Another term for the slope of a stream is: A. velocity B. discharge C. competence D. gradient
gradient
Circular surface ocean currents are known as: A. whirlpools B. tides C. gyres D. oozes
gyres
Niagara Falls moves back ~3 feet every year - this is an example of: A. headward erosion B. stream downcutting C. regolith removal
headward erosion
A glacier forms when A. rainfall on a mountain freezes B. heavy layers of snow become solid ice C. an iceberg collides with the land D. a river freezes
heavy layers of snow become solid ice
Glaciers are considered part of this "sphere" of the Earth: A. hydrosphere B. atmosphere C. biosphere D. hemisphere
hydrosphere
A small circular shaped hill formed by a retreating glacier is known as a(n): A. kettle B. esker C. drumlin D. kame
kame
Large caves systems are found in area of this type of rock: A. granite B. sandstone C. limestone D. basalt
limestone
The large type of dune which runs parallel to the direction of the wind is called: A. transverse B. barchan C. longitudinal D. star
longitudinal
As a river passes from a youthful to a mature stage, it A. shortens B. gets shallower C. meanders D. narrows
meanders
A moraine that forms between two glaciers is known as a(n): A. medial moraine B. end moraine C. ground moraine D. lateral moraine
medial moraine
A broad flat-topped hill typical of desert environments of the U.S. southwest are known as: A. mesa B. bajada C. pediment D. inselberg
mesa
Tides are caused primarily by the gravitational action of the: A. Moon B. Earth's rotation C. Sun D. Solar system
moon
Fertilizers spread on fields that eventually end up in rivers or lakes would be considered pollution. A. point B. non-point
non point
Which hemisphere is known as the "land" hemisphere: A. southern hemisphere B. eastern hemisphere C. northern hemisphere D. western hemisphere
northern hemisphere
A deep ocean wave's height, length and period depend on all of the following factors, except: A. length of time the wind has blown B. ocean floor topography C. fetch D. wind speed
ocean floor topography
The area with the thickest seafloor sediments (up to 10 km) can be found at the: A. continental slope B. abyssal plains C. ocean trench D. continental rise
ocean trench
A common term for biological seafloor sediments (biogenous) is: A. gastrolith B. evaporate C. ooze D. clay
ooze
The fastest water velocity in the turn of a meandering river is: A. inside of the turn B. outside of the turn C. at the center
outside of the turn
When a loop of a meandering river is cutoff by erosion, it can turn into a(n): A. waterfall B. point bar C. oxbow lake
oxbow lake
The east coast of the United States would best be described as a: A. passive continental margin B. plate boundary C. active continental margin
passive continental margin
Algae and other small organisms that float at the surface of the ocean are known as: A. nekton B. benthos C. plankton
plankton
The basis of the ocean food chain is: A. sharks B. humans C. small fish D. plankton
plankton
Which type of glacier movement occurs in the middle portion of the glacier? A. piggyback B. plastic flow C. slipping D. crevasse
plastic flow
A zone of an aquifer that contains a chemical contaminant is known as a(n): A. bubble B. plume C. layer D. quagmire
plume
A meandering stream typically deposits sediment at the: A. cutbank B. oxbow lake C. head D. point bar
point bar
The amount of empty space between particles in a rock, soil or sediment is known as: A. permeability B. capillary water C. porosity
porosity
Which is not a downside to dams and reservoirs? A. power generation B. salinization C. water loss D. recreational loss
power generation
The wobble of the Earth's axis is known as: A. obliquity B. eccentricity C. precession D. stratification
precession
As you descend (go down deeper) through the ocean, A. temperature increases B. pressure increases C. light increases D. density decreases
pressure increases
Which type of drainage pattern would you expect around a volcanic peak? A. dendritic B. rectangular C. radial D. trellis
radial
A desert caused by falling dry air on the leeside of a mountain range is called ___________ a desert. A. subtropical B. coastal C. polar D. rainshadow
rainshadow
In the hydrologic cycle, rivers are considered: A. infiltration B. transpiration C. runoff D. precipitation
runoff
Ocean water is typically characterized by its salt content known as: A. salinity B. bathymetry C. seismicity D. alkalinity
salinity
The wind movement of sand grains by bouncing is called: A. creep B. saltation C. rolling
saltation
Which sediment would have the highest porosity? A. sand B. silt C. clay
sand
In rural areas, sewage treatment is usually done on-site, in the form of a: A. septic tank B. extensive sewer system C. sewage lagoon
septic tank
In wastewater treatment the first step (primary) involves: A. chlorination B. settling out solids C. phosphorus removal
settling out solids
When sediment builds up in a reservoir created upstream of a dam, it is called: A. erosion B. salinization C. evaporation D. silting
silting
A large depression caused by the collapse of surface material into a limestone cavern is known as a(n): A. karst hole B. sink hole C. caldera
sink hole
Which of the following is the most commonly accepted cause of ice ages? A. changes in the amount of radiation produced by the sun B. blockage of the sun's rays by volcanic dust C. movements of continents affecting warm ocean currents D. small changes in the earth's orbit, tilt, and precession
small changes in the earth's orbit, tilt, and precession
Which area of the United States is most water-stressed? A. northwest B. northeast C. southeast D. southwest
southwest
Another term for exploring deep narrow caves is: A. insanity B. spelunking C. caverning
spelunking
When the Moon and Sun are aligned with the Earth, we experience very high and low tides known as: A. neap tide B. winter tide C. spring tide D. deep tide
spring tide
Cavern deposits that start at the top and reach for the bottom are called: A. stromatolites B. stalactites C. stalagmites D. dolostone
stalactites
If glacial drift is transported by water and sorted, it is termed: A. glacial till B. stratified drift C. glacial erratics
stratified drift
The Mississippi delta is considered a -dominated type of delta. A. tide B. stream C. wave
stream
Long scratches on bedrock caused by a moving glaciers are known as: A. moulins B. pluckings C. striations D. erratics
striations
When you pump too much water out of an aquifer system, it can result in: A. volcanic eruptions B. uplift C. erosion D. subsidence
subsidence
The largest desert in the world, the Sahara, is considered this type of desert: A. subtropical B. coastal C. polar D. rainshadow
subtropical
Which of the following is NOT a type of sediment deposit: A. natural levee B. suspended load C. delta D. alluvial fan
suspended load
A glacial cirque that fills with water is known as a(n): A. kettle lake B. tarn C. fiord
tarn
Ocean dissolved oxygen content is closely related to surface ocean . A. temperature B. salinity C. sediment thickness
temperature
Most precipitation on the Earth occurs in: A. mountainous areas B. flatlands C. the oceans
the oceans
At low latitudes (e.g. near equator), there is a dramatic decrease in ocean temperature with depth known as the: A. anticline B. thermocline C. photocline D. hypercline
thermocline
Glacial material that is deposited directly from the melting ice is called: A. stratified drift B. kettle C. till D. arête
till
The movement of water up through plant roots and out through leaves is called: A. precipitation B. infiltration C. evaporation D. transpiration
transpiration
River rapids are an example of: A. laminar flow B. plug flow C. turbulent flow D. debris flow
turbulent flow
Young stream valleys are characterized by: A. "V" shape B. floodplains C. oxbow lakes D. meandering
v shape
Another term for alpine glacier is: A. ice cap B. ice sheet C. piedmont glacier D. valley glacier
valley glacier
Deposition of sediment is caused by a decrease in stream: A. volume B. temperature C. discharge D. velocity
velocity
Weird rock formations caused by wind-abrasion and sand-blasting are called: A. artifacts B. pillars ` C. bajadas D. ventrifacts
ventrifacts
Characteristics of Karst topography do NOT typically include : A. volcanic rock B. sinkholes C. caverns D. springs
volcanic rock
Mature stream valleys are NOT characterized by: A. oxbow lakes B. cutoffs C. waterfalls D. meandering
waterfalls
A land area that contributes water to a river system is called a: A. watershed B. water basin C. continental divide
watershed
In an area with sandstone layers and shale layers at the surface, rivers will tend to form in the: A. weaker sandstone layers B. weaker shale layers C. stronger sandstone layers
weaker shale layers
Surface currents in the ocean are most closely related to: A. volcanic activity B. wind currents C. biological activity D. tides
wind currents
The water table represents the top surface of the: A. zone of saturation B. zone of erosion C. zone of aeration D. zone of transportation
zone of saturation