Geology Weekly Quiz 9

When water from a stream seeps into the saturated zone, it is called: a) Spring loaded b) Losing stream c) Gaining stream d) Ephemeral e) Persistent

b) Losing stream

Which of the following materials is most likely to have the highest porosity? a) dry, uncompacted clay particles b) granite with few fractures but very large crystals c) a limestone that has a few percent open cavities d) poorly sorted sediment e) crystalline marble

a) dry, uncompacted clay particles

Which of the following materials probably has the highest permeability? a) highly fractured granite b) compacted clays with moderate porosity c) highly porous volcanic rock with holes that are isolated from one another d) marble with sparse fractures that are filled with insoluble material e) granite gneiss

a) highly fractured granite

Most of Earth's freshwater exists within: a) ice caps, glaciers, and groundwater b) groundwater and rivers c) lakes and swamps d) rivers and streams e) oceans

a) ice caps, glaciers, and groundwater

What is the main problem facing Ogallala aquifer? a) overpumping may cause southern parts of the aquifer to go dry in the next 100 years b) it has become contaminated with radioactive waste from the Chernobyl accident c) precipitation is heavier to the east, causing tilting of the entire formation d) leakage from chemical processing plants are polluting the entire aquifer e) the groundwater is becoming more salty from water from the pacific Ocean

a) overpumping may cause southern parts of the aquifer to go dry in the next 100 years

Heavily pumped wells near a coast can cause: a) salt-water intrusion into the well b) decrease in seawater salinity c) pollution of the ocean water d) development of fresh-water springs on the sea bed e) inflation of the aquifer due to an increase in porosity

a) salt-water intrusion into the well

Which of the following materials has low porosity and low permeability? a) unfractured granite b) uncompacted clays c) limestone with caverns d) well-sorted sand e) large, well rounded gravel

a) unfractured granite

The surface between the saturated zone (below) and the unsaturated zone (above) is called the: a) water table b) hard pan c) saturated lid d) recharge zone e) head level

a) water table

Which of the following materials probably has the lowest permeability? a) highly fractured granite b) compacted clay with abundant tiny pore spaces c) loosely cemented, well-sorted sediment d) loosely cemented, well-rounded sand grains e) all of the above is highly permeable

b) compacted clay with abundant tiny pore spaces

Why is the Ogallala aquifer so important? a) it feeds springs for the largest trout farms in the world b) it is an important source of irrigation c) it is an important source of coal and hydroelectric power d) radioactive waste has been buried along the eastern side and is leaking e) all of the above are correct answer

b) it is an important source of irrigation

Which of the following is NOT true about the water table? a) the water table is right at the land surface in swamps b) the water table is always horizontal c) the water table is above ground in lakes d) overpumping can change the slope of the water table e) the water table has a similar shape to topography but is more subdued

b) the water table is always horizontal

Which of the following materials has moderate to high porosity but low permeability? a) fractured sandstone b) uncompacted clays c) well-sorted gravel d) well-sorted sand e) fractured granite

b) uncompacted clays

The main way surface waters become groundwater is: a) water in the unsaturated zone evaporates b) water flows through the unsaturated zone and into the saturated zone c) water flows from the saturated zone and into the unsaturated zone d) water flows from the water table through the unsaturated zone e) none of the above

b) water flows through the unsaturated zone and into the saturated zone

Which of the following materials has high porosity and high permeability? a) fractured granite b) well-sorted gravel c) compacted clay d) uncompacted clay e) poorly sorted sand, silt, and clay

b) well-sorted gravel

What type of stream is fed by groundwater from the saturated zone? a) Spring loaded b) Losing stream c) Gaining stream d) Ephemeral e) Persistent

c) Gaining stream

Springs may develop when: a) An unconfined aquifer is drilled b) A confined aquifer is drilled c) The main water table intersects the land surface d) where a river flows across an area where the water table is beneath the surface e) where a lake is directly underlain by an impermeable layer

c) The main water table intersects the land surface

The zone above the water table in an unconfined aquifer is called: a) Replenishment zone b) Saturated zone c) Unsaturated zone d) Discharge zone e) Permeable zone

c) Unsaturated zone

What is the main way groundwater accumulates? a) seawater in the oceans loses its salt via the process of saltation b) magma releases water as part of the hydrologic cycle c) precipitation and surface water infiltrate through the upper layers of soil d) plants release water and carbon dioxide through their roots e) sedimentary rocks release water during compaction

c) precipitation and surface water infiltrate through the upper layers of soil

Which of the following materials would best to drill into for a good supply of groundwater? a) shale b) salt c) sand and gravel d) granite e) all of the above

c) sand and gravel

Which of the following materials probably has the lowest porosity? a) well sorted, fine-grained sediment b) well sorted, coarse-grained sediment c) unfractured granite d) sand with well-rounded grains e) dry, uncompacted clay particles

c) unfractured granite

What happens to the water table if groundwater is pumped out faster than it can be replaced? a) a mound of groundwater forms over the well b) the pipe in the well subsides down into the ground and can disappear c) the recharge zone becomes smaller d) a cone of depression forms on the water table e) rising groundwater levels may cause flooding

d) a cone of depression forms on the water table

Which of the following is NOT a feature that commonly forms where limestone has been dissolved by groundwater? a) sinkholes b) karst topography c) caves d) drumlins e) underground lakes

d) drumlins

Which of the following is NOT a way to change the porosity of a rock? a) cut the rock with fractures b) compact clay and other sediment c) deposit natural cement into pores d) fill the pores with water e) all of the above will change the porosity of a rock

d) fill the pores with water

Which of the following combinations make for the best groundwater reservoir? a) low permeability and low porosity b) low permeability and high porosity c) high permeability and low porosity d) high permeability and high porosity e) all of the above combinations are suitable for groundwater reservoir

d) high permeability and high porosity

Which of the following energy sources drives the hydrologic cycle? a) earth's internal heat b) river flow c) wind energy d) solar energy d) gravity

d) solar energy

What is the most common way in which sinkholes form? a) a small explosion of methane gas from coal beds b) a small explosion of CO2 gas from dissolving limestone c) a rising dome of salt finally reaches the surface d) the roof of a cave collapses e) fracking for natural gas

d) the roof of a cave collapses

Which of the following is most likely to be associated with a confined aquifer? a) perched water table b) lake c) swamp d) unsaturated zone e) artesian well

e) artesian well

Which of the following settings contains the least amount of water? a) oceans b) lakes c) groundwater d) ice caps and glaciers e) atmosphere

e) atmosphere

Under what conditions is it possible for a material to have both high porosity and low permeability? a) it is not possible to have both high porosity and low permeability b) it is possible only if the rock is a sandstone c) it is possible if the void spaces are not well connected d) it is possible if the void spaces are small enough e) both c and d

e) both c and d

What is a possible way of increasing permeability? a) seal fractures with clays and other minerals b) fill pores between grains with clays and other fine-grained materials c) fill pores with natural cement d) compact a clay so that the particles are aligned e) none of the above

e) none of the above