Groundwater
Practice Test
1.
Water can move through soil because of the soil's __________.
a.
porosity
b.
well-sorted material
c.
impermeable layer
d.
permeability
2.
What is one possible consequence of excessive withdrawal of groundwater?
a.
change in sea level
b.
pollution
c.
subsidence
d.
faulty septic tanks
3.
What is the largest freshwater supply in the world?
a.
rivers and lakes
b.
groundwater
c.
ice caps and glaciers
d.
the ocean
4.
When does groundwater become surface water?
a.
when a new lake or stream is formed
b.
when the rock at Earth's surface has high porosity
c.
when the water table intersects Earth's surface
d.
when the zone of saturation is lowered
5.
What type of rock has the lowest permeability?
a.
sandstone
b.
highly fractured rock
c.
shale
d.
limestone
6.
When does water deposit calcium carbonate?
a.
when it is in the zone of saturation
b.
when it is supersaturated with travertine
c.
when it loses carbon dioxide or evaporates
d.
when water mixes with carbon dioxide
7.
How are caves formed?
a.
dissolution and precipitation of limestone
b.
porosity of sandstone and limestone
c.
uplift of limestone rocks
d.
permeability of water through fine-grained materials
8.
What is a characteristic of karst topography?
a.
caves
b.
sinking streams
c.
all of the above
d.
sinkholes
9.
What is water called when it has a high concentration of iron, magnesium, or calcium?
a.
soft
b.
hard
c.
a lake
d.
groundwater
10.
Artesian aquifers __________.
a.
have hard water
b.
often are contaminated with salt water
c.
have problems with subsidence
d.
contain water under pressure
11.
Which well shown in the figure would provide the healthiest water?
a.
Well 2
b.
Well 4
c.
Well 3
d.
Well 1
12.
How is the water of a hot spring heated?
a.
It flows in an open area that is heated by solar activity.
b.
It is heated for no natural reason.
c.
It flows close to an area of recent igneous activity.
d.
It is heated from the body heat of humans.
13.
According to the figure, where might pollution come from to contaminate Well 1?
a.
factory
b.
a neighbor's sewage
c.
your sewage
d.
industrial waste
14.
A __________ occurs where groundwater is discharged at Earth's surface at the contact between an aquifer and an aquiclude.
a.
spring
b.
lake
c.
geyser
d.
wetland
