Water Resources and Groundwater Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is root wedging primarily responsible for in the weathering process?

  • Creating sinkholes and caves
  • Mixing organic matter into soil
  • Increasing crack size in rocks (correct)
  • Dissolving minerals in bedrock

Which process must occur before erosion can happen?

  • Biological weathering
  • Chemical weathering
  • Weathering in general (correct)
  • Physical weathering

What does suspension refer to in the context of erosion?

  • Clay-sized particles carried along with water molecules (correct)
  • Sediments resting at the bottom of a body of water
  • Sediments floating on the surface of moving water
  • Sediments deposited in still water bodies

Which of the following is NOT one of the five main agents of erosion?

<p>Soil Compaction (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to minerals in a rock body during the process of carbonation?

<p>They dissolve in acidic water (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of removing vegetation, according to the content provided?

<p>Causing soil erosion (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a product of weathering that can be eroded?

<p>Solid Sediments (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines the process of saltation during erosion?

<p>Bouncing and rolling of solid sediments along the riverbed (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of water pollution is attributed to organic material by volume?

<p>5% (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a non-point source of pollution?

<p>Tanker spills (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the mineral component of water pollution?

<p>It can include both primary and secondary minerals. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors can influence the leaching of minerals in soil?

<p>Climate and age of the soil (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of disease-causing organisms in water pollution?

<p>Runoff from feedlots (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'soluble minerals' refer to in the context of soil and water pollution?

<p>Minerals that easily dissolve and wash off from soil. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the characteristics of sediment as a type of water pollution?

<p>Caused mainly by natural processes like logging and erosion. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of water pollution is made up of mineral components by mass?

<p>80% (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic is unique to sediments transported by glaciers?

<p>They appear scratched and grooved. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to sediments during the deposition process?

<p>They are dropped by their agent of erosion. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What method does running water use to transport sediment?

<p>By rounding and smoothing the particles. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of erosion is specifically caused by construction activities?

<p>Clearing of land leading to surface erosion. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which is a property of sediments transported by wind?

<p>They appear pitted and frosted. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of deposition occurring in still bodies of water?

<p>Loss of kinetic energy. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does gravity contribute to sediment transportation?

<p>By pulling sediments downhill. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which description best fits sediments found at the base of cliffs transported by gravity?

<p>They appear angular and unsorted. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes mass wasting in relation to gravity?

<p>It refers to the downslope transport of surface materials. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factors can increase the likelihood of mass movement?

<p>Poorly consolidated soils and seismic activity. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which scenario is the risk of mass movement highest?

<p>When the ground is saturated and heavy rains occur. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process does ‘flow’ refer to in the context of mass wasting?

<p>Debris moving downslope as a viscous fluid. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which definition accurately describes a ‘slide’ in mass wasting?

<p>A coherent rock mass moving along a defined surface. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the characteristics of earth materials contribute to mass movement risk?

<p>Loose soils, especially clay-rich types, can exacerbate risks. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the phenomenon of a rapid flow of snow down a slope?

<p>Avalanche (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common result of spreading in the context of mass wasting?

<p>Lateral extension and fracturing of a material mass. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes an active volcano?

<p>It has erupted in the past 10,000 years and is expected to erupt again. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of volcano is known for a symmetrical structure and steep slopes?

<p>Composite volcano (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines a volcano as dormant?

<p>It has not erupted in a very long time but is expected to erupt again. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes an extinct volcano?

<p>It has not erupted for at least 10,000 years and is not expected to erupt again. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect does increasing vapor pressure have on magma?

<p>It increases the magma's ability to flow. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of confining pressure in volcanic eruptions?

<p>It decreases as the magma rises, leading to eruption. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic distinguishes basalt lava from various types of magma?

<p>It is less viscous and has a lower silica content. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes to the explosive nature of a composite volcano's eruption?

<p>High gas pressure from gas bubbles in highly viscous magma. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason magma becomes less dense and allows it to rise toward the surface?

<p>Dissolved gases form bubbles called vesicles. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is least likely to influence the viscosity of lava?

<p>The pressure exerted by overlying rocks. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the characteristics of pahoehoe lava flow?

<p>It has a shiny, smooth surface and flows quickly. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process is triggered when the vapor pressure of magma exceeds the confining pressure?

<p>Magma rises towards the surface. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of lava flow is primarily characterized by a high viscosity and a molten interior?

<p>Aa flow. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does increasing magma temperature affect its viscosity?

<p>It decreases the viscosity, making it more fluid. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of volcanic material is specifically defined as fragments ejected during eruptions?

<p>Tephra. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the size and number of vesicles in magma as it moves closer to the surface?

<p>They increase, producing a foam that can lead to explosions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Water Pollution Sources

Water pollution has both single, identifiable sources (like smokestacks or spills) and dispersed sources (like agricultural runoff).

Water Pollution Components

Water pollution includes mineral components (major portion), organic materials, and empty space (air/water).

Types of Water Pollution (Sediment)

Sediment pollution results from erosion (caused by logging or road construction).

Types of Water Pollution (Oxygen-demanding)

Pollution that reduces the amount of oxygen in water, caused by waste (human or animal).

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Types of Water Pollution (Disease-causing)

Pollution with microorganisms that can cause illness, often from untreated waste.

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Types of Water Pollution (Toxic)

Poisons (like pesticides or industrial chemicals) contaminate water.

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Types of Water Pollution (Heavy Metals)

Heavy metals (like lead or mercury) harming water.

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Mineral Composition in Soil

Minerals in soil can be primary (original) or secondary (formed by weathering). Particle size varies(sand, silt, clay).

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Root wedging

The process where plant roots grow into cracks in rocks, forcing them apart and increasing weathering.

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Chemical Weathering (Dissolution)

Water containing dissolved carbon dioxide dissolves minerals in rocks, creating cavities.

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Erosion

The process of moving weathered rock fragments from one place to another.

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Soil

Regolith with organic matter mixed in.

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Regolith

Small rock and mineral fragments that are weathered from rocks.

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Agents of Erosion

The forces that move weathered material (e.g., rivers, glaciers, wind).

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Suspension (Erosion)

Very small particles (clay) carried by water without settling.

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Human-caused Erosion

Erosion caused by human activities, such as deforestation.

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Strip Mining

A method of extracting resources by removing layers of rock and soil above them.

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Sediment Transport by Running Water

Running water carries sediments, making them rounded and smooth, and deposits them in sorted piles.

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Sediment Transport by Glaciers

Glaciers carry sediments, leaving them scratched and unsorted, often with large boulders.

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Sediment Transport by Wind

Wind carries small, light sediments, leaving them pitted and frosted, and deposits them in sorted piles.

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Sediment Transport by Gravity

Gravity moves sediments down slopes, leaving them angular and unsorted.

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Deposition

The process where sediments are released or dropped by their agent of erosion, often in standing bodies of water.

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Weathering

The breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces called sediments.

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Mass Wasting

The downslope movement of rock, soil, and other materials due to gravity.

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Flow

Debris moving downslope as a viscous fluid, like a thick mudslide.

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Rockfall

A type of mass wasting where pieces of rock fall, bounce, and roll down a slope.

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Risk Factors for Mass Wasting

Factors that increase the likelihood of mass movement, including gravity, water, type of earth materials, and triggering events.

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Triggering Events for Mass Wasting

Events that can initiate mass movement, such as heavy rain, earthquakes, or fires that saturate the ground.

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Vent

An opening in Earth's surface where volcanic materials like lava, ash, and gas escape.

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Crater

The mouth of a volcano, a depression surrounding the vent.

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Active Volcano

A volcano that has erupted since the last ice age (past ~10,000 years) and is expected to erupt again.

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Dormant Volcano

A volcano that is not currently erupting but is expected to erupt again sometime in the future.

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Extinct Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted for at least 10,000 years and is not expected to erupt again in the foreseeable future.

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Composite Volcano

A volcano with a large, nearly perfect cone-shaped structure, formed by layers of lava and ash.

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Cinder Volcano

The simplest type of volcano with a small, cone-shaped structure formed by the accumulation of cinders.

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Volcanic Eruption: Decompression

A decrease in confining pressure (exerted by overlying materials) on magma as it rises from a high-pressure point to a lower pressure point.

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What causes magma to rise?

Magma rises due to the pressure of dissolved gases, which expand as magma nears the surface, making it less dense than surrounding rock.

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What is tephra?

Tephra is a collective term for any solid material ejected during a volcanic eruption, including ash, lava fragments, and rock.

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How does viscosity impact eruption style?

Lava viscosity, or resistance to flow, heavily influences eruption style. High viscosity with lots of trapped gas leads to explosive, dangerous eruptions.

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What factors affect lava viscosity?

Magma temperature, silica content, and dissolved gas content all affect lava viscosity. Higher temperature means lower viscosity, more silica means higher viscosity.

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What is Pahoehoe lava?

Pahoehoe lava is smooth and fluid, with a shiny, glassy surface. It flows quickly and creates thin flows.

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What is Aa lava?

Aa lava is blocky and rough, with higher viscosity than Pahoehoe. It flows slowly and forms thicker flows.

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What is a lava flow?

Lava flows are streams of molten rock that erupt either non-explosively or as explosive lava fountains.

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How does magma crystallization affect gas content?

As magma cools and crystallizes, the gas content increases because the crystallization process enriches the magma with dissolved gases.

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Study Notes

Water Resources

  • Water is essential for life, needed for agriculture, industry, households, recreation, and the environment
  • Earth's surface is 71% water, but only a small portion is readily accessible fresh water. (oceans and saline lakes 97.4%, fresh water 2.6%)
  • Most of fresh water is tied up in ice caps and glaciers (1.984%)

Surface Water Sources

  • Precipitation and melted snow that flows across land into lakes, wetlands, streams, rivers, estuaries, and oceans
  • Watershed: the total area that contributes water to a stream or river
  • Surface Runoff: precipitation that doesn't soak into the ground or evaporate
  • Groundwater: precipitation that seeps into the ground, percolates through soil, gravel, and rock until reaching an impermeable layer

Groundwater

  • Zone of saturation: underground spaces filled with water
  • Water table: the top of the zone of saturation
  • Aquifer: water-saturated layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock through which groundwater flows
  • Recharge is slow (approximately 1 meter per year)

Water Use

  • Humans use about 54% of readily available runoff
  • Agriculture uses 70%
  • Industry uses 20%
  • Domestic uses 10%
  • The rest (20%) is left in streams for human use which includes things like transport, pollution dilution, and fisheries support.
  • 70-90% of runoff may be used by 2025

Water Pollution

  • Point source: pollution comes from a single, fixed source (e.g., smokestacks, discharge drains)

  • Non-point source: pollution comes from many dispersed sources (e.g., agricultural runoff, street runoff)

Types of Water Pollution

  • Sediment: from construction, erosion, and logging
  • Oxygen-demanding wastes: from human waste, agriculture, and other sources
  • Disease-causing organisms: from untreated sewage
  • Toxic chemicals: pesticides, fertilizers, industrial chemicals

Too Much Water: Floods

  • Natural events often aggravated by human activities (e.g. deforestation, urbanization, construction on floodplains)

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Description

This quiz explores the essential role of water resources in life, agriculture, and the environment. It covers surface water sources, groundwater, and the concepts of watersheds and aquifers. Test your knowledge on the distribution and importance of fresh water!

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