SSM 3301 - Quiz 2: Water Cycle

Dr. Karwan use an image of a bicycle to illustrate what concept? (There is more than one answer)

A) Water is neither gained nor lost from the water cycle

B) Water is like a wheel... it keeps turning

C) Water can only go downhill, just like a bicycle

D) The important driving mechanism for the water cycle are solar radiation and gravity

E) Conservation of mass

A) Water is neither gained nor lost from the water cycle

D) The important driving mechanism for the water cycle are solar radiation and gravity

E) Conservation of mass

What is the approximate annual average rainfall for the state of Minnesota, ranging from west to east

A) 50-70 inches

B) 5-20 inches

C) 35-50 inches

D) 20-35 inches

D

True or False: The global amount of water is fixed and water can neither be created or destroyed

True

A delta is formed by deposition of sediment where a river empties into an ocean or large lake

True or False

True

True or False: South America is the wettest of the 7 continents, when land mass is taken into consideration

True

Which of the water "reservoirs" described by Diana Karwan has the shortest residence, or recycling time?

A) Soil water and wetlands

B) Atmospheric water vapor

C) Deep Groundwater

D) Freshwater lakes

B) Atmospheric Water Vapor

Groundwater makes up approximately what percent of our freshwater resources?

A) Less than 1%

B) 50%

C) 30%

D) Nearly 100%

C

Once water enters or infiltrates into the soil, it is just a matter of time before this water flows to the groundwater zone to recharge an aquifer.

True or False

False

• Not all infiltrated water makes its way to groundwater. Several fates are possible: stored as soil moisture (and perhaps taken up by plants), move laterally toward a water body, or flow to the groundwater zone to recharge the aquifer.

Water plays at least 3 fundamental and important roles on Earth, involving physical and ecological processes before we even take a drop for our use. Can you name them?

A) Water provides transport and distribution of soluble substances around the earth

B) Counteracting the greenhouse effect

C) Water plays a essential role in biological processes, including the production of oxygen through photosynthesis

D) Water provides essential recreation benefits for society

E) Water regulates global temperatures and solar energy

Water regulates global temperatures and solar energy

Water provides transport and distribution of soluble substances around the earth

Water plays a essential role in biological processes, including the production of oxygen through photosynthesis

True or False: Water is the only substance on earth that exists naturally as a solid, liquid, and gas

True

True or False: Dr. Karwan used the term, water "reservoirs" to describe the places where water is stored in the water cycle.

True

Which of the water "reservoirs" described by Diana Karwan has the longest residence, or recycling time?

A) Biological water

B) Oceans

C) Freshwater lakes

D) Deep Groundwater

D

Many of the unique characteristics of water are a result of the _______ of the water molecule.

A) Size

B) Polarity

C) Shape

D) Mass

B

True or False: Water, composed of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, is among the smallest of all molecules

True

Which of the following is true of transpiration? (check one)

A) It is the pumping of water from aquifers for irrigation

B) It is the movement of water to the atmosphere from lakes driven by wind and heat from the sun

C) It is the process by which dew forms on the ground

D) It is the movement of water through plants from the roots to the atmosphere through leaves

D

What is the purpose of a levee?

A) An earthen berm to prevent floodplains from flooding

B) A blockage across a stream or river that impounds water

C) A tax used to fund watershed management

D) A water management practice for cleaning up water

A

A watershed is defined as which of the following?

A) The area of urban development and rooftops that create runoff within a defined area

B) A storage unit where all the water is pumped from the ground and stored within it

C) An area of land where all the rainfall that falls within it drains to a common point

D) A political boundary where all the water flows to a common pond or re

C) An area of land where all the rainfall that falls within it drains to a common point

True or False: Groundwater is contained mostly within aquifers, the deep underground reservoirs of water, often used for drinking or irrigation

True

A 100-yr flood has the following characteristics (check all that apply)

A) Will always have the same magnitude regardless of changing climate

B) Has a 1% probability of occurring any given year (1% annual exceedance probability)

C) Always occurs exactly once every 100 years

B

Water is able to help regulate the earth’s temperature because it has  ___________ .

an ability to store and give off heat

an acidic pH

a low surface tension

a high density

an ability to store and give off heat

Water droplets form a spherical shape due to _______________.

all of the above

surface tension

polarity

cohesion

all of the above

Ice floats in water because the solid form of water is more dense than the liquid form of water.
True

False

False

The severity of drought is determined not only by the amount of rainfall received recently but also the previous soil moisture level and recent temperatures. 

True

False

True

One of the key lessons from the Floodplains by Design video is that we have learned ways to build on the floodplain and this good because the land is very flat and easy to build on.

True

False

False

Antarctica is the driest of the 7 continents, in terms of precipitation received.

True

False

True

Most rivers would be naturally straight if it weren't for bridges, roads and levees which impact the river, so people have moved the channel in a meandering pattern to avoid structures.

False, rivers meander naturally because water follows the path of least resistance eventually creating a back-and-forth, wave like pattern

True

False, rivers meander naturally because water follows the path of least resistance eventually creating a back-and-forth, wave like pattern