Deck 13: Groundwater

Question 1

In regions of moderate to high rainfall, the top of a stream is the same as the ____.

A)top of the zone of aeration
B)top of the zone of saturation
C)bottom of the aquifer
D)bottom of the zone of aeration
E)top of the water table

Answer 1

top of the water table

Question 2

Rocks such as limestone, granite, and gneiss cannot be groundwater reservoirs.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Most groundwater in the United States is used for ____.

A)drinking water
B)industrial use
C)irrigation
D)wastewater treatment
E)commercial use

Answer 3

irrigation

Question 4

Caves do not form in marble because it is a dense and hard rock.

Question 5

Groundwater is slightly acidic.

Question 6

The most immediate source of groundwater is ____.

A)the oceans
B)lakes
C)rivers and streams
D)precipitation
E)runoff

Question 7

Less than 2% of all the water on Earth is groundwater.

Question 8

Which of the following is most permeable?

A)sand
B)soil
C)gravel
D)silt
E)clay

Question 9

Which of the following is most porous?

A)sand
B)soil
C)gravel
D)silt
E)clay

Question 10

The zone of aeration contains ____.

A)air only in pore spaces
B)air and water in pore spaces
C)water only in pores spaces
D)no pore spaces
E)extra large pore spaces

Question 11

The zone of saturation extends to an indefinite depth.

Question 12

What is an example of a rock\sediment type that could be an effective aquiclude?

A)quartz sandstone
B)fractured granite
C)gravel
D)shale
E)graywacke

Question 13

In hilly country, the groundwater table's highest elevation occurs in stream valleys and around lakes.

Question 14

The most effective aquifer is likely to ____.

A)be composed of metamorphic rock
B)be composed of igneous rock
C)have well-sorted and well-rounded sediments with high permeability
D)have high porosity and low permeability
E)have low porosity and high permeability

Question 15

Arsenic contamination in groundwater stems from human activities.

Question 16

The ultimate source of groundwater is the oceans.

Question 17

____is a measure of how much water a material can hold, and ___ measures how easily the material transports fluids.

A)Porosity; permeability
B)Sorting; permeability
C)Infiltration capacity; permeability
D)Permeability; porosity
E)Infiltration capacity; porosity

Question 18

What is the average rate of groundwater flow?

A)a few kilometers a day
B)a few meters a day
C)a few centimeters a day
D)a few millimeters a day
E)imperceptible

Question 19

A poorly sorted porous rock\sediment is as permeable as a well-sorted porous rock\sediment.

Question 20

Groundwater will move through any rock\sediment or soil that is porous.

Question 21

Groundwater erupting from geysers that contain dissolved calcium carbonate will form deposits of what?

A)stalactites
B)stalagmites
C)travertine
D)quartz
E)sulfides

Question 22

What conditions are needed for the development of karst topography?

A)humid climate
B)arid climate
C)carbonate bedrock at a shallow depth
D)humid climate and carbonate bedrock at a shallow depth
E)an artesian aquifer

Question 23

Artesian-pressure surfaces slope because ____.

A)of friction
B)of gravity
C)the aquifer slopes
D)of the overlying aquicludes
E)the amount of recharge varies

Question 24

When water is removed faster than it can be recharged, sediments may become compacted in a process called ____.

A)intrusion
B)demarcation
C)desalinization
D)subduction
E)subsidence

Question 25

What is the heat source for hydrothermal activity on land?

A)earthquake faults only
B)recent or current volcanic activity only
C)deep heat in Earth's interior only
D)earthquake faults and recent or current volcanic activity
E)recent or current volcanic activity and deep heat in Earth's interior

Question 26

A local aquiclude within a larger aquifer results in a(n)____.

A)cone of depression
B)perched water table
C)artesian aquifer
D)zone of aeration
E)zone of saturation

Question 27

What is contaminated groundwater so difficult to clean?

A)Groundwater moves so quickly.
B)Groundwater does not move at all.
C)Groundwater moves so slowly.
D)Subsidence pushes the contamination deeper underground.
E)Septic systems are so common.

Question 28

Hydraulic fracturing involves extracting oil and gas from thin layers of which type of rock?

A)sandstone
B)shale
C)slate
D)granite
E)limestone

Question 29

What happens when water is withdrawn from an aquifer faster than it can be recharged?

A)The water table becomes lower.
B)The water table remains stable.
C)The water table rises.
D)The lenses of salt water intrude on top of fresh groundwater.
E)A drought occurs.

Question 30

Geothermal energy is produced by ____.

A)hydraulic fracturing
B)recent or current volcanic activity
C)heat from Earth's interior
D)hot springs
E)states in the southern U.S.

Question 31

Groundwater moves ____.

A)only when experiencing recharge
B)in ways that are unpredictable
C)only in a downward direction
D)from areas of low pressure to high pressure
E)from areas of high pressure to low pressure

Question 32

Which statement about cones of depression is true?

A)They form when water inflow exceeds water withdrawal.
B)They affect large regions and have extensive economic impact.
C)They lower the water table around a well.
D)They only form immediately after a well is drilled.
E)They get narrower closer to the well head.

Question 33

How are oil and gas extracted in the hydraulic fracturing process?

A)Injection of high-pressure fracking fluids increases the permeability of the rock and allows oil and gas to move into the well.
B)Injection of high-pressure fracking fluids forces low-pressure oil and gas to the surface.
C)Horizontal wells are drilled, and the oil and gas is pumped out.
D)Injection of low-pressure fracking fluids enlarges pore spaces allowing the oil and gas to be pumped out.
E)Injections of fracking fluid are used to generate small earthquakes, which shake oil and gas to the surface.

Question 34

Which statement about caves is false?

A)They form underwater.
B)They are formed by deposition of calcium carbonate.
C)They form naturally and are open to the surface.
D)The majority of caves are small.
E)They are commonly found in regions with karst topography.

Question 35

Groundwater in an aquifer is sometimes called fossil water because ____.

A)the water has been in the aquifer for thousands of years
B)the water is not being replenished at anywhere near the same rate as when it formed
C)tiny microorganisms living in the aquifer are living fossils
D)the water has been in the aquifer for a long time and is not being rapidly replenished
E)it contains the bones of fossilized animals

Question 36

Artesian wells flow freely when the ____.

A)wellhead is below the zone of aeration
B)wellhead is above the zone of aeration
C)wellhead is below the artesian pressure surface.
D)wellhead is below the artesian pressure surface
E)artesian aquifer experiences subsidence

Question 37

What is the general term for deposits of calcite and\or aragonite within caves?

A)stalactites
B)stalagmites
C)spears
D)dripstone
E)calcite-stone

Question 38

Which statement about arsenic is false?

A)It is odorless and tasteless.
B)It contaminates groundwater via natural processes.
C)It harms the nervous system and may cause birth defects.
D)Reducing the amount of arsenic in water will increase the cost of water.
E)Arsenic concentrations are uniform across the U.S.

Question 39

What is a natural fountain that intermittently ejects hot water and steam into the air?

A)hot spring
B)volcano
C)hydrothermal vent
D)geyser
E)aquiclude

Question 40

Where does groundwater discharge naturally?

A)only in the ocean
B)only in springs
C)only in streams
D)only in aquifers
E)wherever the groundwater table intersects the ground surface

Question 41

The addition of water to the zone of saturation is known as ____________________.

Question 42

Groundwater under high fluid pressure is called a(n)____________________ system. It is confined by rock bodies called ____________________.

Question 43

What are the most common sources of groundwater contamination?

Question 44

Why do karst landscapes not form in areas underlain by igneous rocks, but instead, form in areas underlain by limestone?

Question 45

A permeable layer that transports water is called a(n)____________________.

Question 46

What are some possible consequences of modifications to the groundwater system caused by human usage?

Question 47

The boundary between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation is known as the ____________________.

Question 48

The water stored in the open spaces within underground rocks and unconsolidated material is called ____________________.

Question 49

What is a cone of depression, where is it found, and what causes it? Why can large cones of depression be a serious problem?

Question 50

____________________ contains high concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium ions which can form precipitates on pipes, water heaters, and dishes.

Question 51

The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans largely because of ____________________.

Question 52

A controversial new technology called ____________________ involves injecting high-pressure fluids into rock formations to extract oil and gas.

Question 53

____________________ are types of dripstone that hang from cave ceilings, while ____________________ form on the ground from calcite dripping onto the cave floor.

Question 54

Compare the performance of clay and sandstone as aquiclude materials in terms of porosity and permeability.

Question 55

Artesian aquifers from under a very specific set of conditions. What three conditions must be present for an artesian system to develop?

Question 56

Sinkholes are becoming more prevalent in Florida, especially where populations are growing. Discuss how sinkholes form, and explain what might account for the observed increase in Florida.

Question 57

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a controversial new technology that has divided scientists and the energy sector on environmental and economic issues. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of fracking and whether you think the pros outweigh the cons.

Question 58

Rounded depressions common in regions having limestone bedrock are known as ____________________.