Chapter 22 - Water Pollution Flashcards

Questions and Answers

A good indicator of water quality is the number of ___

Coliform bacteria

A body of water can be depleted of its oxygen by ___

Organic wastes

Which of the following statements is false?

Inorganic nutrients can disrupt food chains

Inorganic nutrients can deplete oxygen levels

Inorganic nutrients such as fertilizers have no adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems (correct)

Inorganic nutrients can lead to algae blooms

Waste heat can ___

Cause algae blooms, deplete water of oxygen, and decrease water quality Signup and view all the answers

Nitrates and phosphates are examples of ___

Inorganic plant nutrients Signup and view all the answers

One class of pollutants that can cause a population explosion of aerobic bacteria is ___

Oxygen-demanding wastes Signup and view all the answers

One class of pollutants that can cause excessive growth of algae is ___

Inorganic plant nutrients Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following decrease(s) photosynthesis in bodies of water?

Both A and B Signup and view all the answers

Thermal pollution ___

Can kill organisms adapted to a particular temperature range by thermal shock Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a point source of water pollution?

Offshore oil wells Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a non-point source of water pollution?

Logged forest Signup and view all the answers

To determine the presence and concentration of water pollutants, scientists are least likely to use ___

Satellite photographs Signup and view all the answers

Over half of the total mass of pollutants entering streams and lakes comes from ___

Non-point pollution from agriculture Signup and view all the answers

Oxygen sag curves ___

Occur when oxygen-demanding wastes are added to the water Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is false?

Slow-flowing rivers are less susceptible to pollutants than fast-flowing streams Signup and view all the answers

The water pollution and control laws enacted in the 1970s have done all but which one of the following?

Forced municipalities to take their water supply from the downstream side of the city Signup and view all the answers

In most developed countries, large fish kills and contamination of drinking water are caused by ___

All of these answers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about lakes is true?

Lakes are more vulnerable than streams to contamination Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following stages of cultural eutrophication occurs last?

Increase in anaerobic bacteria Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not an input control over cultural eutrophication?

Harvesting excess weeds Signup and view all the answers

About ___ of the 100,000 medium to large lakes in the United States suffer from some degree of cultural eutrophication.

One-third Signup and view all the answers

The common limiting factor in freshwater lakes most often emphasized in pollution prevention approaches is ___

Phosphorus Signup and view all the answers

The Great Lakes possess ___ of all the surface freshwater in the United States.

95% Signup and view all the answers

Since 1972, the massive pollution control program for the Great Lakes has reduced ___

The coliform level Signup and view all the answers

All of the following contributed to improvements in Great Lakes' water quality except ___

Increased industrial discharge Signup and view all the answers

One fish in ___ taken from the Great Lakes is unsafe for human consumption.

Four Signup and view all the answers

Experts rate groundwater pollution as a ___

Low-risk ecological but high-risk health problem Signup and view all the answers

Crude estimates indicate that up to ___ of usable groundwater in the United States is contaminated.

1/4 Signup and view all the answers

Sources of groundwater contamination include ___

Deep wells used to dispose of liquid hazardous wastes, abandoned hazardous waste dumps, and industrial and livestock waste storage lagoons Signup and view all the answers

Ocean dumping bans are in effect for all the following substances except ___

Dredge spoils Signup and view all the answers

Of the following organisms, the ones least likely to be affected by ocean debris are ___

Zooplankton Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Water Pollution Key Concepts

Coliform Bacteria: A significant indicator of water quality.
Organic Wastes: Lead to oxygen depletion in water bodies.
Inorganic Nutrients: Fertilizers can adversely impact aquatic ecosystems.
Effects of Waste Heat: Causes algae blooms, depletes oxygen, and decreases water quality.
Inorganic Plant Nutrients: Nitrates and phosphates are primary examples that promote algal growth.
Oxygen-Demanding Wastes: Can lead to an explosion of aerobic bacteria populations in water.
Sediment: Reduces photosynthesis in aquatic ecosystems.
Thermal Pollution: Can kill temperature-adapted organisms through thermal shock.
Point Sources of Pollution: Offshore oil wells are categorized as point sources.
Non-Point Source of Pollution: Logged forests contribute as a non-point source.
Pollutant Detection: Satellite photographs are least useful for identifying water pollutants.
Agricultural Pollution: Over half of stream and lake pollutants are sourced from agriculture.
Oxygen Sag Curves: Occur when oxygen-demanding wastes are introduced to water.
Vulnerabilities: Lakes are more susceptible to contamination compared to streams.
Cultural Eutrophication Stages: Increase in anaerobic bacteria is the final stage.
Control Measures: Harvesting excess weeds is not considered an input control for eutrophication.
Cultural Eutrophication Statistics: About one-third of the U.S. medium to large lakes are experiencing this issue.
Nutrient Limitation: Phosphorus is often the limiting factor in freshwater pollution prevention.
Freshwater Resources: The Great Lakes contain 95% of the U.S. surface freshwater.
Coliform Level Reduction: Major pollution control programs since 1972 have lowered coliform levels in the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes' Improvements: Banning nitrate detergents did not contribute to water quality improvements.
Fish Consumption Risk: One in four fish from the Great Lakes is unsafe for human consumption.
Groundwater Pollution Rating: Experts classify groundwater pollution as a low-risk ecological and high-risk health issue.
Contamination Estimates: Approximately one-fourth of usable groundwater in the U.S. may be contaminated.
Sources of Groundwater Contamination: Include deep well disposal of hazardous waste, abandoned dumps, and industrial waste lagoons.
Ocean Dumping Regulations: Dredge spoils are not under ocean dumping bans.
Organism Resilience: Zooplankton are among the organisms least susceptible to ocean debris exposure.

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Test your knowledge of key concepts related to water pollution with these flashcards covering important terms and definitions. Learn about indicators of water quality, the impact of organic and inorganic wastes, and the effects on aquatic ecosystems. Perfect for students studying environmental science or related subjects.

Chapter 22 - Water Pollution Flashcards

Questions and Answers

A good indicator of water quality is the number of ___

A body of water can be depleted of its oxygen by ___

Which of the following statements is false?

Waste heat can ___

Nitrates and phosphates are examples of ___

One class of pollutants that can cause a population explosion of aerobic bacteria is ___

One class of pollutants that can cause excessive growth of algae is ___

Which of the following decrease(s) photosynthesis in bodies of water?

Thermal pollution ___

Which of the following is a point source of water pollution?

Which of the following is a non-point source of water pollution?

To determine the presence and concentration of water pollutants, scientists are least likely to use ___

Over half of the total mass of pollutants entering streams and lakes comes from ___

Oxygen sag curves ___

Which of the following statements is false?

The water pollution and control laws enacted in the 1970s have done all but which one of the following?

In most developed countries, large fish kills and contamination of drinking water are caused by ___

Which of the following statements about lakes is true?

Which of the following stages of cultural eutrophication occurs last?

Which of the following is not an input control over cultural eutrophication?

About ___ of the 100,000 medium to large lakes in the United States suffer from some degree of cultural eutrophication.

The common limiting factor in freshwater lakes most often emphasized in pollution prevention approaches is ___

The Great Lakes possess ___ of all the surface freshwater in the United States.

Since 1972, the massive pollution control program for the Great Lakes has reduced ___

All of the following contributed to improvements in Great Lakes' water quality except ___

One fish in ___ taken from the Great Lakes is unsafe for human consumption.

Experts rate groundwater pollution as a ___

Crude estimates indicate that up to ___ of usable groundwater in the United States is contaminated.

Sources of groundwater contamination include ___

Ocean dumping bans are in effect for all the following substances except ___

Of the following organisms, the ones least likely to be affected by ocean debris are ___

Study Notes

Water Pollution Key Concepts

Studying That Suits You

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