Deck 14: Water Quality

Question 1

Acids can enter natural waters due to

A)industry, mining, or atmospheric events
B)automobile battery manufacture
C)products from heating with natural gas
D)soft drink manufacture

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A "clean zone" of water has

A)a high BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and a high DO (Dissolved Oxygen Level)
B)a low BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and a high DO (Dissolved Oxygen Level)
C)a low BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and a low DO (Dissolved Oxygen Level)
D)a high BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and a low DO (Dissolved Oxygen Level)

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Aerobes are forms of life which

A)can live without oxygen, and produce chemicals in water with unpleasant odors
B)require oxygen for life, and produce chemicals in water with unpleasant odors
C)require oxygen for life, and produce odorless chemicals in water
D)can lie without oxygen, and produce odorless chemicals in water

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Anaerobes are forms of life which

A)can live without oxygen, and produce chemicals in water with unpleasant odors
B)require oxygen for life, and produce chemicals in water with unpleasant odors
C)require oxygen for life, and produce odorless chemicals in water
D)can live without oxygen, and produce odorless chemicals in water

Question 5

Arrange the zones of the open sea in order of descending amount of light received, beginning with the zone which receives the most light.

A)euphotic, abyssal, bathyal
B)bathyal, euphotic, abyssal
C)bathyal, abyssal, euphotic
D)euphotic, bathyal, abyssal

Question 6

At very low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in water, the septic zone, the forms of life are limited to

A)most fish since they are very adaptable
B)only fairly hardy fish as well as worms, larvae and anaerobes
C)only anaerobes, worms, and larvae
D)shellfish

Question 7

Cold, clear lakes or streams with few nutrients and a relatively low abundance of life are referred to as

A)eutrophic
B)oligotrophic
C)mesotrophic
D)heliotrophic

Question 8

Discharge of one or more water pollutants from a specific location is known as a

A)point source
B)nonpoint source
C)aerobic phenomenon
D)anaerobic phenomenon

Question 9

Eutrophication is the

A)overgrowth of algae in lakes due to the presence of excess phosphate (PO₄^3- ) ions
B)lack of algae in lakes due to the presence of excess phosphate (PO₄^3- ) ions
C)overgrowth of algae in lakes due to the low concentration of phosphate (PO₄^3- ) ions
D)absence of algae in lakes due to the low concentration of phosphate (PO₄^3- ) ions

Question 10

From a global perspective, the largest contamination of surface waters is due to

A)domestic sources (sewage)
B)manufacturing
C)mining
D)agriculture
E)spills from oil tanker

Question 11

Groundwater (from wells), unlike surface water, can be contaminated while looking perfectly clear.

Question 12

Groundwater (from wells) may contain

A)salt from use on highways during cold weather
B)sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) caused by mining operations
C)gasoline from leaking underground tanks
D)human and animal wastes
E)all of these

Question 13

In a decomposition zone of water,

A)the DO (Dissolved Oxygen) level falls rapidly but most fish can survive
B)the DO (Dissolved Oxygen) level rises rapidly but most fish can survive
C) the DO (Dissolved Oxygen) level falls rapidly and only fairly hardy fish such as catfish and carp can survive
D)none of these

Question 14

Lakes generally evolve naturally over time in the following manner.

A)eutrophic → mesotrophic → oligotrophic
B)eutrophic → oligotrophic → mesotrophic
C mesotrophic →oligotrophic →eutrophic.
D)oligotrophic → mesotrophic → eutrophic

Question 15

Lead enters drinking water primarily from

A)improperly discarded automobile batteries
B)pipes with lead solder in older homes
C)paint chips from older homes
D)lead crystal glasses

Question 16

Mercury poisoning can occur from consuming fish which contain

A)elemental liquid mercury
B)the vapor from liquid mercury
C)solid elemental mercury
D)mercury compounds produced from chemical waste by anaerobic bacteria

Question 17

Of the ions found in water, the most persistent ones are

A)lithium and fluoride
B)potassium and oxide
C)sodium and bromide
D)sodium and chloride

Question 18

Primary sewage treatment is focused on

A)reducing the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
B)removing grit and other solid particles
C)disinfection to destroy disease-producing organisms
D)all of these

Question 19

Rapid eutrophication of a lake or stream, due to addition of nutrients produced by humans, is called

A)meso-eutrophication
B)dynamic eutrophication
C)cultural eutrophication
D)none of these

Question 20

Salinity (sodium chloride content) of inland natural freshwater supplies is

A)more likely to be a problem in areas with low amounts of rainfall
B)equally a problem in areas with high and low amounts of rainfall
C)more likely to be a problem in areas with high amounts of rainfall
D)none of these

Question 21

Secondary sewage treatment is focused on

A)disinfection to destroy disease-producing (pathogenic) organisms
B)removing grit and other solid particles
C)reducing the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
D)all of these

Question 22

Sediment (soil particles) in natural waters can

A) reduce photosynthesis by blocking light
B)reduce fish populations by clogging gills
C)increase the cost of producing drinking water
D)all of these

Question 23

Tertiary sewage treatment is primarily focused on

A)reducing the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
B)removing grit and other solid particles
C)disinfection to destroy disease-producing organisms
D)none of these

Question 24

The amount of oxygen required to decompose a given quantity of organic material is known as the

A)Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
B)point source effect
C)nonpoint source effect
D)anaerobic quotient

Question 25

The coastal zones of the earth's oceans are

A)about 90% of the waters, and home to only about 10% of the ocean's inhabitants
B)about 10% of the waters, and home to about 90% of the ocean's inhabitants
C)about 10% of the waters, and home to about 10% of the ocean's inhabitants
D)about 90% of the waters, and home to about 90% of the ocean's inhabitant

Question 26

The rapid decrease of dissolved oxygen in the decomposition zone of water is known as

A)Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
B)Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
C)Oxygen Sag
D)none of these

Question 27

The recovery zone of polluted natural waters is characterized by

A)rising Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and rising Dissolved Oxygen concentration (DO)
B)decreasing Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and rising Dissolved Oxygen concentration (DO)
C)rising Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and decreasing Dissolved Oxygen concentration
D)decreasing Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and decreasing Dissolved Oxygen concentration (DO)

Question 28

The "river that burned" was the

A)Cuyahoga River
B)Mississippi River
C)Nile River
D)Rhine River

Question 29

The zone of the open sea having the most light is the

A)sub-abyssal
B)bathyal
C)abyssal
D)euphotic

Question 30

Wastewater treatment sludge, after reduction to about 5% of its original volume by removal of water, can be disposed of by

A)incineration
B)land spreading
C)land filling
D)all of these

Question 31

Water pollution can be

A)biological
B)chemical
C)biological or chemical
D)visible but not invisible