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89 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
What factor has contributed to the drying up of streams and the intrusion of salty groundwater in the Long Island area?
overpumping of groundwater
Why is sediment yield an important consideration in a discussion of water supplies?
sediment is a common water pollutant
The boundary between drainage basins is called the
drainage divide
The drainage density on clay soils is likely to have what relationship to the drainage density on gravel soils?
greater drainage density on clay soils
Vegetation decreases runoff by
intercepting rainfall and slowing its fall to the ground
. Which of the following would likely serve as an aquitard?
silt
An artesian well is one that
contains water to the pressure level
. The rate of groundwater flow is proportional to the
the hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivity
Groundwater mining is accomplished by
pumping that exceeds recharge
Concerns over water resources focus on the lack of abundance of water on Earth.
False
The velocity and depth of water flow influence the amount of soil or sediment the water can erode.
T
Runoff in areas of shale bedrock tends to be less that in areas of gravel because of the high porosity of shale.
T
The water table separates confined and unconfined aquifers
F
Water pressure is generally greater in a confined aquifer than in an unconfined aquifer.
T
A cone of depression forms when water is pumped from an unconfined aquifer, but not when water is pumped from a confined aquifer.
F
. Groundwater movement is proportional to porosity.
F
Groundwater mining in the Ogallala aquifer is a function of the very small amount of water contained in the aquifer.
F
Desalination is used only where alternative water sources are unavailable.
T
Hydroelectric water use is considered nonconsumptive
T
The global ____________ _________ involves the transfer of water between Earth’s water reservoirs.
gydrologic cycle
Drainage basins are separated by the ____________ _____________.
Drainage divide
A _____________ aquifer is largely isolated from the Earth’s surface above it.
Confined
Pumping of groundwater from a well creates a __________ _________ _________ in the aquifer.
Cone of depression
The ability of an Earth material to transmit water is called its _______________ ____________.
hydrologic conductivity
An _____________ stream typically lies above the water table.
influent
An _______________ stream gains water from an aquifer.
effluent
_____________ water use does not divert or remove water from its source.
instream
. _______________ and thermoelectric generators are the primary consumptive users of fresh water.
irrigation
The water management philosophy put forth by _______ __________ focuses on natural variability in water resources.
luna leopold
How did Hurricane Floyd contribute to dramatic water pollution in North Carolina?
intense rain and river flooding caused poorly sited pig farm waste lagoons to overflow
The level of decaying organic matter in water is indicated by what measure?
biochemical oxygen demand
What measures have largely eliminated waterborne diseases in the U.S.?
separation of sewage and drinking water
What is the principal cause of cultural eutrophication?
elevated levels of phosphorus and nitrogen
If MTBE (methyl tertbutyl ether) has such an impact on groundwater, why is it added to gasoline?
it helps decrease auto air pollutant emissions
The biomagnification of mercury occurs as mercury moves through
the aquatic food chain
If sediment is from natural sources, why is it considered a water pollutant?
it is an out-of-place resource
Which of the following would be considered a point source of pollution?
industrial wastewater discharge
Acid mine drainage is a problem because
. the acid water may mobilize hazardous heavy metals
What happened to the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland in 1969?
it caught fire
Large pig farms in North Carolina caused no pollution problems prior to the arrival of Hurricane Floyd
F
All coliform bacteria are harmless.
F
Biochemical oxygen demand reflects the amount of organic matter in water bodies.
T
Waterborne disease has been completely eliminated from the U.S.
F
Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are removed from municipal wastewater by secondary treatment.
F
Eutrophication can occur in the absence of human influences.
T
Heavy metals remain suspended in the water column indefinitely.
F
Thermal pollution is harmful to some organisms, but actually helps others survive.
T
Because they are of smaller scale, non-point source pollution sources are more easily regulated and controlled than are point sources.
F
. In the mid-1990s, Congress passed revisions to the Clean Water Act with broad public support.
F
The source of ___________ ___________ bacteria is typically animal fecal waste.
Escherichia coli
Nitrogen and ____________ are usually responsible for cultural eutrophication.
phosporus
The oil tanker ________ __________ caused massive water pollution near Valdez, Alaska in 1989.
exxon valdez
Biomagnification is an especially important process in the concentration of ___________ to toxic levels.
mercury
____________ sources of pollution are diffuse and intermittent.
nonpoint
Acid mine drainage results from the oxidation and dissolution of coal and __________ ores.
sulfide
. A cone of ___________ is formed in saltwater as it intrudes fresh groundwater near a pumping well.
ascention
A septic tank performs the equivalent of ______________ treatment in the municipal wastewater treatment system scheme.
primary
Wetlands are especially efficient at reducing _____________ levels in wastewater.
nutrient
After ____________ treatment of wastewater, 95% of pollutants have been removed.
advanced
Between the mid-1970s and the mid-1990s, energy consumption in the U.S.
increased, but at a slower rate
The ultimate source of the energy in fossil fuels is
the sun
Coal rank is based upon
the carbon percentage and heat value
. Why is coal usage likely to increase in the future?
coal is an abundant resource in relation to oil and gas
Which of the following geologic features is not required for an oil or gas deposit to form?
volcanic rock
Which of the following geologic situations is most likely to contain significant oil concentrations?
300 million year old rocks that accumulated in a subsiding sedimentary basin
Methane hydrates may be a viable future energy source because
they are abundant and clean burning
What is the most important aspect of future oil supplies?
when oil production will peak
Why does acid rain result from fossil fuel consumption?
fossil fuel burning releases nitrogen and sulfur oxides
Nuclear fission is the process of
splitting of heavy atoms to make light atoms
Fossil fuels are generated by processes deep in the Earth’s interior.
F
Most coal has the same sulfur content, but varies widely in heat content.
F
Natural gas and methane hydrate energy sources have the same chemical composition.
T
Most of the largest oil and gas fields are located in continental interiors, far from plate boundaries
F
. Given current trends, oil supplies are likely to be largely consumed by the end of the 21st century.
T
The best solution to concerns over acid rain is to buffer lakes with calcium carbonate.
F
Nuclear power from splitting of U-235 is a renewable energy resource.
F
The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caused similar levels of environmental degradation as did the Three Mile Island accident
F
Radioactive minerals release energy only through the fission process.
F
Wind power generation has grown rapidly in the past decade.
T
______________ coal has the highest heat content.
bituminious
The rock unit that provides a barrier to upward migration of oil is called the ___________ _____________.
cap rock
______________ ______________ is the only site being considered in the U.S. for high-level nuclear waste storage.
yucca mountain
Nuclear _____________ involves the joining of lighter elements to produce heavier ones.
fusion
______________ _____________ systems are characterized by hot water circulation.
hydrothermal convection
____________ solar energy systems simply enhance absorption of solar energy without requiring mechanical power.
passive
Fuel cells rely on the element ___________ for their energy source.
hydrogen
Electricity generation through urban waste incineration is an example of _____________ power generation.
biomass
_______________ is the process of capturing wasted heat from power-generating and industrial installations.
cogeneration
The ________ path of energy policy relies more on decentralized power generation.
soft