Surface Water
Practice Test
1.
Eroded materials that are transported are finally dropped in a process called __________.
a.
transportation
b.
rill erosion
c.
deposition
d.
physical weathering
2.
What two variables control how fast a soil forms?
a.
residual vs. transported soil
b.
type of parent rock and climate
c.
type and age of parent rock
d.
temperature and pressure
3.
How is Earth's water supply recycled?
a.
rivers
b.
Water on Earth is not recycled.
c.
through lakes
d.
the water cycle
4.
What is the distance of 1° longitude?
a.
360 km
b.
it changes from 111 km to a point
c.
60 km
d.
it is always 111 km
5.
How are soil textures classified?
a.
grain size
b.
horizon
c.
acidity
d.
climate
6.
Water that flows downslope along Earth's surface is called __________.
a.
bed load
b.
precipitation
c.
runoff
d.
discharge
7.
Which combination of characteristics allows the greatest amount of water to infiltrate into the ground?
a.
steep slopes, silty soils, and cool temperatures
b.
low slopes, clay-rich soils, and hot temperatures
c.
little slopes, sandy soils, and cool temperatures
d.
steep slopes, sandy soil, and hot temperatures
8.
__________ are depositional features formed at the bases of slopes.
a.
Oxbow lakes
b.
Alluvial fans
c.
Meanders
d.
Stream channels
9.
Why are sedimentary rocks important?
a.
They provide building stones.
b.
They contain fossils.
c.
They provide many natural resources and evidence of Earth's past.
d.
They contain gemstones of high value.
10.
1:24 000 is an example of a __________.
a.
graphic scale
b.
verbal scale
c.
fractional scale
d.
map projection
11.
A __________ projection has parallel lines of longitude and latitude.
a.
gnomonic
b.
conic
c.
topographic
d.
Mercator
12.
What would happen to the pond in the figure if the freshwater inflow stream and path to the ocean disappeared?
a.
It would produce extrusive igneous rocks.
b.
Water would come from somewhere else.
c.
All life will stop living in the pond.
d.
The entire lake would eventually evaporate away, leaving only evaporites.
13.
The boundaries of time zones correspond __________.
a.
roughly to lines of longitude
b.
exactly to lines of latitude
c.
roughly to lines of latitude
d.
exactly to lines of longitude
14.
What is formed by the deposition of large amounts of sediment into a body of water by a river?
a.
a gully
b.
a rill
c.
an alluvial fan
d.
a delta
15.
Look at the data in the graph, showing how the water quality has changed in Lake Smith over forty years. What is the most likely explanation for this trend?
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
Dissolved oxygen
(parts per million or ppm)
20
19
18
18
16
17
15
11
9
pH
7.6
7.2
7.1
7.0
6.8
6.8
6.5
6.1
5.8
Phosphate (ppm)
0.0
0.10
0.20
0.25
0.28
0.28
0.45
0.55
0.55
Nitrogen (ppm)
0.05
0.18
0.19
0.25
0.28
0.28
0.35
0.40
0.45
Largemouth bass
450
455
448
338
235
220
155
125
50
Mosses and grasses
0
0
2
5
15
18
29
35
55
a.
Lower oxygen levels indicate that too many fish were living in the lake.
b.
The falling population of largemouth bass indicate that too much fishing has occurred on this lake.
c.
Higher phosphate and nitrogen levels suggest it was damaged by fertilizers.
d.
The dropping pH levels indicate that acid rain has been plaguing the region.
16.
What processes aid in the formation of sediments?
a.
deposition and solidification
b.
weathering and metamorphism
c.
weathering and erosion
d.
erosion only
17.
When are sediments transported by a river deposited?
a.
when the velocity of the river slows down
b.
when the river is transporting too much sediment
c.
when the discharge of a river is increased
d.
when the river gains velocity
18.
What is a rock called that has been shaped by wind-blown sediments?
a.
a ventifact
b.
a dune
c.
loess
d.
a desert pavement
19.
Which of the sand dunes in the figure accumulates in areas with very little sand?
a.
c
b.
a
c.
d
d.
b
20.
The renewed downcutting of a streambed is called __________.
a.
erosion
b.
rejuvenation
c.
eutrophication
d.
deposition
