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