EVRN 148 ch 8 freshwater questions

Why are water supplies in urban areas of developing countries a particularly important issue for the future? a. urban areas are always the furthest from water b. rural areas are expected to clear out completely in the future c. Most of the future population growth is projected to happen in urban areas d. people simply care more about what happens in major city centers

Most of the future population growth is projected to happen in urban areas

why is it important to make a distinction between consumptive and nonconsumptive use of water? a. Nonconsumptive uses of water are sustainable over long periods of time assuming that the water is not degraded, whereas consumptive uses of water do not return the water to its source and therefore do not help replenish the original water supply b. if water is used for a nonconsumptive use, then you know it is being used for agriculture c. this distinction is important bc it is much harder to improve water-use for consumptive water uses than for nonconsumptive water uses d. water for consumptive uses is frequently contaminated, whereas water for nonconsumptive uses is not

Nonconsumptive uses of water are sustainable over long periods of time assuming that the water is not degraded, whereas consumptive uses of water do not return the water to its source and therefore do not help replenish the original water supply

which one of the following most accurately illustrates current legal practices in the United States involving water rights? a. a rancher has a legal right to all of the water located directly beneath his rangeland, so long as the water is used for raising livestock b. a farmer's use of water on his or her land will depend on legal ownership of the water rights, which may or may not be the same as the legal ownership of the land c. a farmer has a legal right to all of the water in the stream flowing through her property, so long as she uses the water to irrigate crops d. if a spring that is the source of a stream is located on private property, the private landowner is allowed to bottle and sell all of the water flowing from the spring

a farmer's use of water on his or her land will depend on legal ownership of the water rights, which may or may not be the same as the legal ownership of the land

why would the united states consider developing an energy-intensive technology such as desalination? a. the united states is already out of freshwater, so we need to develop new water sources at any expense b. the united states is not looking into desalination. it is only an important technology for developing countries c. the united states has plenty of cheap energy sources, so making desalinated water would actually be cheaper than the water we currently import d. a growing population will likely require more freshwater than what is available at the present time

a growing population will likely require more freshwater than what is available at the present time

There are about 13,000 cubic kilometers of water in the atmosphere. Each day, about 1,370 cubic kilometers of water enter the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration, and about 1,370 cubic kilometers leave the atmosphere as precipitation. About how long does an average water molecule spend in the atmosphere? a. about 200 years b. about 10 years c. about 20 days d. about 10 days

about 10 days

what is the largest use of freshwater globally? a. agriculture b. industrial activities c. watering the lawn d. bathing and flushing toilets

agriculture

what aspect of a stream or river is depicted by a hydrograph? a. amount of water moving in the stream over a given period of time b. water clarity c. fish density d. probability of flooding

amount of water moving in the stream over a given period of time

Like most groundwater resources, the Ogallala Aquifer is a nonrenewable water resource. This aquifer provides drinking water for two million people in the central United States and irrigation water for 20% of the wheat and cotton grown in the United States. Currently the volume of water in the Ogallala Aquifer is equal to approximately 3,000,000,000 acre-feet of water, and 20,000,000 acre-feet of water are removed every year. Considering this, at what rate would water have to be added to the aquifer in order to consider it a renewable Water Resource rather than a nonrenewable water resource? a. appx 50,000,00 acre-feet per year b. it's impossible to tell from the information provided c. appx 10,000,000 acre-feet per year d. appx 20,000,000 acre-feet per year

appx 20,000,000 acre-feet per year

in an agricultural area, a stream with a relatively large riparian zone will a. be wider and flow more quickly than other streams in the area b. be surrounded by more cropland than other streams in the area c. carry more sediments than other streams in the area d. be relatively well protected from sediments and pollutants in runoff

be relatively well protected from sediments and pollutants in runoff

What mechanism directly causes the decline in oxygen during eutrophication? a. fish coming to feed on the algae and using too much of the oxygen b. growth in toxic organisms c. decomposition of algae d. nitrogen and phosphorus runoff

decomposition of algae

If you had to pick a reasonable use for groundwater that took advantage of the best attributes of this resource, what would it be and why? a. arid-land agriculture; bc it is used in areas that are the most desperate for water b. irrigation of cotton fields; bc exporting more cotton would be economically beneficial to the united states c. fossil fuel extraction; bc it requires high-quality water in order to produce high-quality fossil fuels d. drinking water supplies; bc groundwater is naturally filtered and this is usually of very high quality

drinking water supplies; bc groundwater is naturally filtered and this is usually of very high quality

which of the following is an important function of wetlands? a. muck production b. flood control c. agriculture d. production of water management jobs

flood control

How would you best characterize the state of global groundwater resources? a. groundwater resources are increasing annually as glaciers melt b. groundwater resources are generally declining worldwide c. there is plenty of water to go around d. groundwater levels are staying the same, with recharge rates generally offsetting withdrawals

groundwater resources are generally declining worldwide

What is wrong with this statement? "wealthy countries like the United States do not have to worry about future Water Supplies." a. nothing, because wealthy countries can always buy their access to freshwater b. water use in the united states is declining quickly, so water supplies are not an issue here c. climate change will increase precipitation, thereby preventing water shortages d. growing human populations and rising water use will put pressure on finite supplies of water, especially in dry areas

growing human populations and rising water use will put pressure on finite supplies of water, especially in dry areas

Where is most of the world's freshwater located? a. in the atmosphere b. in lakes and streams c. in glaciers and ice d. underground

in glaciers and ice

If you cut down a big section of the forest in the middle of the Amazon, what would happen to the flux of water from land to the atmosphere in the region? a. it would increase bc the plants would no longer capture the water in soils b. it would decrease bc runoff would decrease c. it would decrease bc evapotranspiration would decrease d. it would increase bc runoff would increase

it would decrease bc evapotranspiration would decrease

if a microorganism in contaminated water isn't likely to kill a person directly, why do so many people in developing countries die as a result of exposure to contaminated water? a. people die from exposure to radiation in the water b. microorganisms can cause illness that leads to dehydration, which if untreated, can cause death c. the microorganism weakens the immune system, making people more susceptible to life-threatening diseases d. there is a tendency to blame the water supply because people die every day, and the commonality is that they all drink water

microorganisms can cause illness that leads to dehydration, which if untreated, can cause death

which of the following are major sources of toxic chemical pollution to waters? a. natural, preexisting pollutants in the water system b. mining operations, leaking fuel tanks, and household disposal into sewage systems c. swimming pools d. animal carcasses, feces of aquatic animals, and outflow from sewage treatment plants

mining operations, leaking fuel tanks, and household disposal into sewage systems

which of the following statements best captures the difference between consumptive and nonconsumptive water use? a. they are regulated differently b. it is the difference between the proper use of water and abuse of the resource c. nonconsumptive water use returns used water for potential reuse. in consumptive water use, water is used once and cannot be used again d. consumptive water use returns used water to the water supply. nonconsumptive water use does not return water to the source

nonconsumptive water use returns used water for potential reuse. in consumptive water use, water is used once and cannot be used again

which of the following is an example of a use of water that would typically be hidden from consumers? a. running a fish tank b. washing your hands c. raising sheep for wool protection d. flushing a toilet

raising sheep for wool protection

all of the following processes involve liquid water except: a. percolation b. evaporation c. transpiration d. sublimation

sublimation

which of the following would be effective in conserving water? a. watering gardens in the middle of the day, when plants need it most b. replacing toilets with those that use 20 liters of water per flush c. taking shorter showers d. all of the above are correct

taking shorter showers

which of the following is a difference between the littoral zone and the limnetic zone? a. the littoral zone is fully penetrated by light, whereas the limnetic zone is not b. the littoral zone has a known bottom, whereas the limnetic zone's bottom is not currently known c. the littoral zone supports life, whereas the limnetic zone does not d. the littoral zone is terrestrial, whereas the limnetic zone is aquatic

the littoral zone is fully penetrated by light, whereas the limnetic zone is not

Which area in the figure has the highest percentage of river water currently in use a. australia b. russia c. the middle east d. canada

the middle east

Why is the Ogallala Aquifer at risk? a. the rate of extraction of water from the aquifer is slower than the recharge rate b. subsidence will render the aquifer unusable c. the rate of extraction of water from the aquifer exceeds the recharge rate d. toxic chemicals seeping into the aquifer threaten the health of the ecosystem

the rate of extraction of water from the aquifer exceeds the recharge rate

why is groundwater typically considered a nonrenewable source of water? a. groundwater is depleted at a slower rate than it is replenished groundwater is the most valuable of resources, and therefore we cannot afford to treat it as renewable c. the idea is leftover from the early days of the EPA, when we didn't know any better. We now understand that most groundwater is renewable d. the rate of formation of some sources of groundwater is much longer than human lifetimes

the rate of formation of some sources of groundwater is much longer than human lifetimes

what is the difference between the unsaturated and saturated zones? a. precipitation never makes it to the unsaturated zone b. the concentration of ions is different between the two zones c. the spaces between soil particles are filled with air in the unsaturated zone and with water in the saturated zone d. the saturated zone is part of the watershed and the unsaturated zone is not

the spaces between soil particles are filled with air in the unsaturated zone and with water in the saturated zone

which of the following statements accurately describes a way in which aquifers and surface water sources are similar and a way in which they are different? a. the water may come from similar places such as snowmelt or precipitation, but aquifers fill slowly, whereas surface water cycles much more quickly b. they both act like sponges, but the water comes from different sources c. both can be accessed using wells, but aquifers are generally preferred for residential use d. while both are being used rapidly, surface water is being used more rapidly than groundwater

the water may come from similar places such as snowmelt or precipitation, but aquifers fill slowly, whereas surface water cycles much more quickly

Over the past decade, the population of the United States has continued to grow wild water use has remained constant. How is this happening? a. there is less water used for industry b. people are drinking less water c. apple moved all their computer production to china d. there has been increased efficiency in agriculture water use

there has been increased efficiency in agriculture water use

which of the following scenarios best illustrates economic water scarcity? a. the result of variations in climate, population, and water use causes a water shortage b. there is enough water but inadequate infrastructure to distribute it c. there is not enough water but plenty of money to distribute it d. the government allows for the privatization of water resources, causing an increase in cost

there is enough water but inadequate infrastructure to distribute it

Why is the hydrologic cycle important for sustaining human access to water? a. this cycle directly delivers water to our homes and businesses b. this cycle creates new water for the planet each year c. this cycle moves water into forms and to locations that are available for human use d. none of the above. water does not need to be cycled to be used

this cycle moves water into forms and to locations that are available for human use

what is the major purpose of an artificial reservoir? a. to create natural recreation areas b. to transport water from one place to another c. to test water before it is delivered to households and industrial consumers d. to catch water from seasonal runoff for year round use

to catch water from seasonal runoff for year round use

what is the main reason there are dams in colorado? a. to protect native fish populations b. to prevent flooding c. to trap runoff from the mountains for use late in the summer d. to produce hydroelectricity

to trap runoff from the mountains for use late in the summer

Some regions in central Africa suffer from economic water scarcity, whereas the western United States has threatened by physical water scarcity. With unlimited financial resources, which water scarcity issue (that of Africa or of the western United States) most easily addressed, and why? a. water scarcity could be more easily addressed in central africa bc creating infrastructure to capture and distribute water will reduce the problems of water scarcity there b. water scarcity in the western united states can be easily addressed by building more dams and creating reservoirs that can store water on a year-to-year basis c. water scarcity in the western united states can be more easily addressed bc africa is a giant desert and there is not enough water to sustain all the people who live there d. water scarcity in the western united states can be more easily addressed bc the western united states has abundant ground water reservoirs that are currently underutilized

water scarcity could be more easily addressed in central africa bc creating infrastructure to capture and distribute water will reduce the problems of water scarcity there

which of the following is a consumptive use of water? a. watering sugar beet fields in boulder county, colorado b. using water taken from a local stream to flush toilets at your college c. using water taken from a local stream to take a shower at your house d. using water to produce electricity at a hydroelectric dam

watering sugar beet fields in boulder county, colorado

Why are non-point sources becoming a greater problem than point sources of pollution? a. because people can "see" point source pollution, they are more apt to believe and understand that there is a pollution problem b. regulation is possible only for nonpoint sources c. while each nonpoint source releases relatively little pollution, they collectively contribute large amounts of pollutants to the water d. nonpoint sources affect groundwater, whereas point sources affect surface water, and groundwater is more difficult to access and extract

while each nonpoint source releases relatively little pollution, they collectively contribute large amounts of pollutants to the water