Deck 20: Water Pollution

Question 1

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In cultural eutrophication,fish die from ____.

A) acid deposition
B) depletion of oxygen
C) toxic substances in the water
D) increased sediment reducing habitats
E) loss of space

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
A good indicator of water quality is the number of ____.

A) ducks
B) fish
C) turtles
D) coliform bacteria
E) protozoa

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which statement about the Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone" is false?

A) The dead zone dissipates in fall with the arrival of storms and cooler weather.
B) The Gulf of Mexico is stratified,with warmer,oxygen-rich water on top and cooler,low-oxygen water on bottom.
C) Most oxygen in the bottom layer is consumed by bacteria decomposing algae.
D) Engineering and wetland degradation contribute to dead zone formation.
E) Negative effects from the dead zone are short-term and confined to the immediate area.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Great Lakes possess ____% of all the surface fresh water in the United States.

A) 35
B) 45
C) 55
D) 75
E) 95

Question 5

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which of the following is a nonpoint source of water pollution?

A) a sewage treatment plant
B) an electric power plant
C) an active or inactive coal mine
D) a logged forest
E) a factory

Question 6

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
How long does it take for pollutants to be flushed out of the Great Lakes into the ocean?

A) 5 years
B) 20 years
C) 50 years
D) 100 years
E) 1000 years

Question 7

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Drinking water for about ____ of the U.S.population and ____ of the rural populations comes from groundwater.

A) 50%;50%
B) 50%;95%
C) 10%;50%
D) 10%;95%
E) 75%;75%

Question 8

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In most developed countries,large fish kills and contamination of drinking water are not caused by ____.

A) malfunctioning sewage treatment plants
B) accidental release of toxic industrial chemicals
C) deliberate release of toxic industrial chemicals
D) accidental release of predatory exotic species
E) pesticides and plant nutrients from agricultural sources

Question 9

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the U.S.and Canada improved water quality by ____.

A) increasing nitrogen inputs
B) upgrading sewage treatment plants
C) banning invasive species
D) closing beaches
E) banning commercial fishing

Question 10

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which statement about lakes is true?

A) Stratified layers of lakes are characterized by vertical mixing.
B) Stratification increases levels of dissolved oxygen,especially in the bottom layer.
C) Lakes are more vulnerable than streams to contamination by plant nutrients,and toxic substances
D) Lakes have more flushing than streams.
E) Changing of water in lakes takes days to weeks.

Question 11

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Contaminated groundwater cannot cleanse itself.Why?

A) Groundwater does not move at all and contaminants are not dispersed effectively.
B) Groundwater does not move at all and lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen exist for decomposition.
C) Contaminants are not dispersed effectively and lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen exist for decomposition.
D) Groundwater does not move at all and cold temperatures usually slow down reactions.
E) Contaminants are diluted easily,but not dispersed effectively.

Question 12

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake,estuary,or slow moving stream is called ____.

A) oligotrophy
B) spring/fall overturn
C) upwellings
D) red tides
E) eutrophication

Question 13

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The biggest threat to water quality in the Great Lakes is from ____.

A) industrial pollution
B) increased runoff caused by urban sprawl
C) the introduction of invasive species
D) poor air quality
E) the presence of toxic hot spots

Question 14

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Cultural eutrophication can not be prevented by ____.

A) banning the use of phosphate detergents
B) stopping the runoff of fertilizer from agricultural fields
C) advanced waste treatment
D) harvesting excess weeds
E) soil conservation and land-use controls

Question 15

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which of the following is a point source of water pollution?

A) offshore oil wells
B) livestock feedlots
C) urban lands
D) croplands
E) parking lots

Question 16

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
A body of water can be depleted of its oxygen by ____.

A) viruses and parasitic worms
B) organic wastes
C) sediments and suspended matter
D) organic compounds such as oil,plastics,solvents,and detergents
E) inorganic wastes

Question 17

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In cities of less-developed countries,stream pollution is largely ____.

A) not a problem because there are fewer industries
B) caused by washing clothes in rivers
C) caused by dumping 80-90% raw sewage directly into rivers
D) less severe compared to more-developed countries
E) unaffected by cultural eutrophication

Question 18

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Of the following organisms,what is the group that is least likely to cause disease?

A) bacteria
B) protozoa
C) algae
D) parasitic worms
E) viruses

Question 19

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Oxygen sag curves occur when ____.

A) water levels are high
B) bacteria break down biodegradable wastes
C) when water flows quickly
D) when water is cool or cold
E) salt and fresh water mix

Question 20

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Great Lakes are sensitive to pollution because less than 1% of the water that enters the lakes leaves via the ____ River.

A) Mississippi
B) Missouri
C) Cuyahoga
D) St.Lawrence
E) Erie

Question 21

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
About ____ of U.S.lakes were tested unsafe for fishing,swimming,and other recreational uses.

A) 25%
B) 45%
C) 65%
D) 75%
E) 85%

Question 22

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The most common problem encountered by seabirds coated with oil is ____.

A) immediate death
B) vulnerability to predators
C) loss of buoyancy and insulation,causing deaths from exposure
D) poisoning by taking in the oil internally
E) starvation

Question 23

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The majority of the oil pollution of the ocean comes from ____.

A) blowouts (rupture of a borehole of an oil rig in the ocean)
B) tanker accidents
C) environmental terrorism
D) runoff from land
E) normal operation of offshore wells

Question 24

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
What is an ineffective method of purifying water for drinking?

A) protecting watersheds from pollution
B) exposing water in a clear plastic bottle to intense sunlight
C) LifeStraws
D) PUR
E) centrifugation

Question 25

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The oil company responsible for the oil spill of the Valdez was ____.

A) Alaska
B) Gulf
C) Exxon
D) Sunoco
E) Texaco

Question 26

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
What percentage of expensive bottled water is actually bottled tap water?

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 30%
E) 40%

Question 27

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Algal blooms created from excessive agricultural and sewage runoffs is least likely to cause _____.

A) a release of waterborne and airborne toxins
B) the poisoning of seafood
C) a decrease in agricultural yields
D) the death of some fish-eating birds
E) a reduction in tourism

Question 28

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The primary cause of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was ____.

A) faulty equipment and poor decision-making
B) an explosion on the oil rig
C) a lack of federal oversight
D) the oil rig crashing into a underwater reef
E) leakage from old,rusty pipes

Question 29

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
During this century,scientists expect to find many millions of ____ to become a major global health problem.

A) people
B) carcinogens
C) solar panels
D) leaking underground storage tanks
E) leaking solid waste landfills

Question 30

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Storing drinking water in a reservoir is beneficial because it ____.

A) reduces the dissolved oxygen level.
B) makes water treatment unnecessary.
C) allows suspended matter to settle.
D) allows the water to be ionized by the atmosphere.
E) increases populations of healthy coliform bacteria.

Question 31

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Natural and anthropogenic sources of ____ contaminated groundwater are a global problem that results in hundreds of thousands of premature deaths.

A) arsenic
B) cadmium
C) lead
D) magnesium
E) manganese

Question 32

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Wetlands,estuaries,mangrove swamps,and coral reefs are examples of ____.

A) coastal environments
B) ocean habitats
C) groundwater reservoirs
D) deltaic deposits.
E) pelagic zones

Question 33

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Groundwater is primarily stored in underground ____.

A) aquifers
B) water tables
C) wells
D) rivers
E) basins

Question 34

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In the U.S. ,drinking water quality is primarily regulated under the ____.

A) Safe Drinking Water Act
B) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
C) Clean Water Act
D) Groundwater Purification Act
E) Water Quality Act

Question 35

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which statement about the disadvantages of bottled water is false?

A) Plastic bottles have a lifespan of 100 years in a landfill.
B) Most plastic bottles are recycled.
C) Enough plastic bottles are discarded annually to circle the Earth 149 times.
D) The withdrawal of water to make bottled water is depleting some aquifers.
E) The manufacture and transportation of bottles releases toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases.

Question 36

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Agricultural runoff would be increased if farmers ____.

A) used slow-release fertilizers
B) kept cropland covered with vegetation
C) planted buffer zones between cultivated lands and water
D) used no fertilizer on steeply sloped land
E) switched from row crops to animal feedlots

Question 37

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
What percentage of the people using coastal beaches in the United States developed ear infections,sore throats,eye irritations,respiratory disease,or gastrointestinal disease from swimming in seawater contaminated by infectious viruses and bacteria?

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 40%
E) 80%

Question 38

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The most effective way to protect groundwater is to ____.

A) prevent contamination
B) use monitoring wells
C) cover all wells carefully
D) treat all water from underground sources
E) use advanced sewage treatment

Question 39

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
What percentage of the world's population lives on or near the coast?

A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 40%
D) 50%
E) 60%

Question 40

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Clean Water Act could be strengthened by ____.

A) requiring septic tank permits
B) focusing on end-of-pipe pollution removal
C) allowing citizens to bring lawsuits to ensure that water pollution laws are enforced
D) establishing national pollutant standards
E) giving responsibility of monitoring and enforcing water pollution laws to private companies

Question 41

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Agricultural activities are by far the leading cause of water pollution.

Question 42

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Dead zones are characterized by a lack of ____.

A) phosphorus
B) nitrogen
C) oxygen
D) chlorine
E) fecal material

Question 43

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In the sewage treatment process,the purpose of chlorination involves ____.

A) adding essential nutrients to drinking water
B) removing discoloration and kill bacteria
C) reacting with organic materials to form chlorinated hydrocarbons
D) preserving pipes in the sewage facility
E) helping large particles settle

Question 44

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
What is by far the leading cause of water pollution?

A) mining
B) factories
C) sewage treatment plants
D) agriculture activities
E) ocean-going shipping

Question 45

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Arsenic in the drinking water is not a concern in the United States.

Question 46

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The invasion by zebra mussels into The Great Lakes is an example of pollution.

Question 47

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Climate change contributes to water pollution in some areas by altering the levels of precipitation.

Question 48

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Placing contaminated water in a clear plastic bottle and exposing it to the sun can kill infectious microbes in as little as three hours.

Question 49

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The primary drawback of waterless,odorless composting toilet systems is that they ____.

A) convert human fecal material to soil-like fertilizer supplement
B) become clogged very easily
C) save large amounts of water
D) are not feasible for large-scale projects
E) involve expensive upfront installation costs

Question 50

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Eutrophic lakes have murky,highly productive waters located closest to the wetland status in which many clear-water species cannot survive.

Question 51

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone" is caused by high levels of ____ in the Mississippi River.

A) coliform bacteria
B) phytoplankton
C) plant fertilizers
D) algae
E) cyanobacteria

Question 52

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Parking lots are a major source of point source pollution for rivers and lakes.

Question 53

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Dead zones have a detrimental impact on ____.

A) fish and shellfish populations
B) agricultural farms
C) ethanol fuel production
D) sewage treatment
E) phytoplankton

Question 54

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Cold temperatures of groundwater slow down the chemical reactions that decompose wastes.

Question 55

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The individual matters in terms of what can be done to help reduce water pollution.Pollution will not,however,be reduced if we ____.

A) fertilize gardens and lawns with manure or compost instead of fertilizers
B) minimize use of pesticides
C) prevent yard wastes from entering storm drains
D) do not flush unwanted medicines down the toilet
E) buy commercially produced foods

Question 56

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In a septic tank system,which of the following is false?

A) Wastewater is pumped into a settling tank.
B) Grease and oil rise to the top in the tank.
C) Solids are decomposed by bacteria.
D) Bacteria-treated waste is discharged in an absorption field.
E) After leaving the absorption field,wastewater is cleaned and can be used again for human consumption.

Question 57

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Eutrophication can be reversed if nutrient inputs are sharply reduced,but it takes a relatively long time to reverse the damage.

Question 58

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Though it would be cheaper and as effective to protect watersheds around water sources rather than building treatment facilities,no major city has made the attempt to do so.

Question 59

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The World Health Organization (WHO)estimates how many people on the earth do not have access to clean drinking water?

A) 1 out of 100
B) 1 out of 50
C) 1 out of 20
D) 1 out of 10
E) 1 out of 7

Question 60

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Which type of sewage treatment is properly matched with its process?

A) primary - biological process
B) secondary - mechanical process
C) advanced - physical and chemical processes
D) secondary - chemical process
E) primary - chemical process

Question 61

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Scientists fear the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico could reach a tipping point beyond which the ecosystem could collapse.

Question 62

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
In parts of the U.S.thousands of new well are being drilled to extract natural gas via the process of ____________________,which scientists fear may threaten groundwater.

Question 63

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
An important indicator of water quality is the level of ____________________,which changes due to the oxygen demand of breaking down biodegradable wastes.

Question 64

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Developing countries dump the majority of their untreated sewage directly into freshwater ecosystems.

Question 65

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Clean Water Act of 1974 requires the EPA to establish national drinking water standards,called ____________________,for any harmful pollutants.

Question 66

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Oxygen depleted zones form around the world,occurring mostly in ____________________ waters and in landlocked seas.

Question 67

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The Exxon Valdez oil spill best illustrates point source water pollution.

Question 68

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
____________________ are dilute sources of pollution that are difficult and expensive to diagnose and even more difficult to control.

Question 69

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The extents of ____________________ are difficult to measure since they consist of tiny particles of plastic suspended below water.

Question 70

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
According to a 2007 government study,tens of thousands of ____________________ in 43 states are leaking.

Question 71

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
____________________,which produce as much waste as a small city,often dump these wastes at sea,even though it is illegal in U.S.waters.

Question 72

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
_______________ is any change in water quality that can harm living organisms or make the water unfit for human uses.

Question 73

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Red,brown,and green toxic tides can release waterborne and airborne toxins that poison fish,shellfish,birds,and humans who eat seafood.

Question 74

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
About 45% of the largest water polluters in the U.S.have declared the Clean Water Act no longer applies to water they are polluting.

Question 75

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The leading cause of water pollution is ____________________ activities.

Question 76

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Worldwide,____________________,caused mostly by exposure to polluted water,on average kills a young child every 18 seconds.

Question 77

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
One-fifth of all the freshwater in the world is contained in the ____________________ of the United States.

Question 78

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Groundwater dispersing a pollutant creates a(n)____________________,which,if it reaches a well,can get into drinking water.

Question 79

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
Human activities can greatly accelerate ____________________ by increasing the rate at which nutrients and organic substances enter aquatic ecosystems from surrounding land.

Question 80

Use the Figure above to answer the following question(s).
The breakdown of biodegradable wastes by bacteria depletes oxygen and may create a(n)____________________.