Hydrosphere Study Questions

1. Hydrosphere Study Questions E 1.1 & E 1.2

2. Why is freshwater in short supply on Earth? ________________________________________ A. Most of it is frozen. B. Most of it is polluted. C. Most of it is in the atmosphere. D. Most of it is trapped underground.

3. Which is the most abundant freshwater resource in North Carolina? ________________________________________ A. estuaries B. icebergs C. oceans D. rivers

4. Where is the majority of Earth’s freshwater found? ________________________________________ A. polar ice caps B. rivers C. ponds D. lakes

5. Of the 74% of Earth’s surface that is covered in water, which contains the most water? ________________________________________ A. lakes B. rivers C. oceans D. streams

6. Which would most likely affect the amount of water in a lake used to supply drinking water to the nearby city? ________________________________________ A. a factory releasing chemicals into the lake B. long-term water shortage in the area of the lake C. use of the lake for recreational purposes D. amount of sediment in the lake

7. The drain in a sink would represent which part of a river basin? ________________________________________ A. water flowing into the ocean B. a mountain stream C. river rapids D. a meander

8. Which statement best compares the amount of water present on Earth today with the amount present millions of years ago? ________________________________________ A. There is slightly more water on Earth today. B. There is significantly less water on Earth today. C. There is significantly more water on Earth today. D. There is about the same amount of water on Earth today.

9. Where is most of Earth’s available freshwater stored? ________________________________________ A. underground B. the atmosphere C. lakes and rivers D. ice caps and glaciers

10. Which would be the best way for humans to conserve large amounts of water during a drought? ________________________________________ A. install high-flow toilets B. bathe only once a week C. limit drinking water in restaurants D. limit use of outdoor sprinkler systems

11. Which is most likely the largest contributor to a decrease in North Carolina’s water availability? ________________________________________ A. evaporation B. global warming C. increase in population D. expansion of agricultural areas

12. Approximately what percentage of the hydrosphere is represented by the oceans on Earth? ________________________________________ A. 30% B. 70% C. 87% D. 97%

13. Which best explains why so little of the water on Earth is available for human use? ________________________________________ A. 97% of total water on Earth is freshwater, and most of the remaining 3% is salt water in the ocean basins. B. 97% of total water on Earth is salt water, and most of the remaining 3% is freshwater frozen in ice caps and glaciers. C. 97% of total water on Earth is freshwater, and most of the remaining 3% is salt water found in underground aquifers. D. 97% of total water on Earth is salt water, and most of the remaining 3% is freshwater found in lakes, rivers, and ponds.

14. Which best describes the process of evapotranspiration in the water cycle? ________________________________________ A. Water from the ocean enters the atmosphere as water vapor. B. Water on the surface of Earth enters the groundwater supply. C. Water vapor in the atmosphere returns to the surface of Earth as liquid water. D. Water on the surface of Earth and water lost by plants enters the atmosphere as water vapor.

15. Which will most likely happen if a higher percentage of water is located in the ground than in the oceans? ________________________________________ A. Water will become less polluted. B. Water will become more polluted. C. Water will take less time to complete the water cycle. D. Water will take more time to complete the water cycle.

16. An area that uses a reservoir is suffering from a drought. Which best explains why water authorities would continue to release water into a river basin from the reservoir? ________________________________________ A. The flowing water keeps the river basin healthy. B. People along the river need the water for recreational activities. C. It will prevent flooding along the river basin in case of heavy rainfalls. D. The extra water is needed for irrigation on the farms bordering the river.

17. A family living in a house needs to dig a new well before they will have usable water. Several options for the well location are shown in the diagram below. Which location would be the best choice for the new well? ________________________________________ A. Q B. R C. S D. T

18. Which best describes 97% of the Earth’s water? A. It is stored in aquifers. B. It is stored in polar ice caps. C. It exists in the form of fresh groundwater. D. It exists in the form of saltwater in the ocean.

19. Which best explains why the water cycle mostly occurs over the oceans? A. Most of Earth’s water is located in the oceans. B. Salt water evaporates more quickly than freshwater. C. The temperatures over the oceans are cooler than over land. D. The temperatures over the oceans are warmer than over land.

20. Which best describes how groundwater is obtained from an aquifer? A. by pumping water into a river basin B. by drilling a well below the water table C. by digging into unsaturated flood zones D. by extracting large amounts of minerals

21. Which best explains how a watershed compares to a river basin? A. A watershed is a ridge of land separating bodies of water, and a river basin flows over the ground surface like runoff. B. A watershed is a river connecting to a larger river, and a river basin is a land area supplying water to the watershed. C. A watershed is a land area supplying water to small rivers, and a river basin is comprised of many interconnected watersheds and their tributaries. D. A watershed flows over the ground surface as runoff, and a river basin is a layer of permeable rock and soil in which water fills the cracks and pores.

22. Which best explains how estuaries support plant and animal life? ________________________________________ A. The dry land removes pollutants. B. The water provides energy for growth. C. The habitat areas provide nutrients and shelter. D. The cold temperatures decrease dissolved oxygen.

23. Which best describes a significant benefit estuaries have on the environment? ________________________________________ A. Wildlife helps protect the land from erosion in estuaries. B. Fishing industries thrive in and around tropical estuaries. C. Pollution is moved from rivers to oceans through estuaries. D. Coastal wetlands provide safe and ideal conditions to support animal habitats.

24. Which is least often used to study the deepest parts of the ocean floor? ________________________________________ A. sonar B. satellites C. scuba divers D. submersibles

25. The diagram below shows the zones of the ocean. Which ocean zone contains hydrothermal vents? ________________________________________ A. deep zone B. surface zone C. shallow zone D. intertidal zone

26. Bluefin tuna has become the most popular fish for sushi in Japan. Which is most likely the impact this has had on the species? ________________________________________ A. Bluefin numbers are decreasing. B. Bluefin numbers are increasing. C. All Bluefin are now raised on farms. D. There has been no impact on the species.

27. What is the movement of cold, nutrient-rich waters from the bottom of the ocean, promoting algae growth? ________________________________________ A. upwelling B. deposition C. precipitation D. eutrophication

28. Which area of deep ocean research provides the most economic benefit? ________________________________________ A. hydropower B. new habitats C. oil resources D. sea-floor spreading

29. In which ocean zone is ocean temperature most affected by the weather? ________________________________________ A. deep zone B. polar zone C. surface zone D. transition zone

30. Why is upwelling in the ocean essential for some organisms to survive? ________________________________________ A. because many animals need low-tide conditions each day B. because currents carry predators away from the surface C. because the warm water kills bacteria before it can harm plankton D. because needed nutrients and dissolved gases are brought into new areas

31. Which best illustrates how aquatic and terrestrial food webs are interconnected? ________________________________________ A. Sharks eat smaller fish in the ocean. B. Algal blooms feed the fish populations. C. Phytoplankton use sunlight to produce food. D. Red tide in the sea poisons land plants and animals.

32. Scientists have found strange new life-forms called “tubeworms” on the deep ocean bottom. Which most likely provides energy for the tubeworms? ________________________________________ A. algae B. small fish C. photosynthesis D. hydrothermal vents

33. How does oceanic upwelling promote the growth of microscopic plankton? ________________________________________ A. They bring warmer water to the surface of the ocean. B. They bring dissolved nutrients to the surface of the ocean. C. They decrease the levels of oxygen at the surface of the ocean. D. They decrease the amount of nutrients at the surface of the ocean.

34. How does upwelling generally affect the dissolving of gases in ocean water? ________________________________________ A. Cooler water increases the amount of gas dissolved. B. Cooler water decreases the amount of gas dissolved. C. Warmer water increases the amount of gas dissolved. D. Warmer water decreases the amount of gas dissolved.

35. How is sonar used to map the surface of the ocean floor? ________________________________________ A. Light waves are used to take pictures of the ocean floor. B. Various temperatures are measured to determine the depth of the ocean floor. C. Scuba divers take videos and photographs to document their trips to the ocean floor. D. Sound waves are emitted and bounced off the ocean floor to determine the distance from the receiver.

36. Which most likely causes the western coast of the United States to be so plentiful and diverse in sea life? ________________________________________ typhoons B. upwelling C. water runoff D. offshore winds

37. Which best explains how the levels of nutrients, minerals, and dissolved gases in an estuary compare to those in surrounding bodies of water? ________________________________________ A. The levels vary depending on the ocean that connects to it. B. The levels are lower in the estuary than in the river that connects to it. C. The levels vary depending on the river and the ocean that connect to it. D. The levels are higher in the estuary than in the ocean that connects to it.

38. Which best explains why there is a greater concentration of oxygen located near the ocean’s surface? ________________________________________ A. Sunlight warms the ocean’s temperature and stimulates oxygen production near the surface. B. Plankton produces excess amounts of nutrients that remove oxygen levels from the atmosphere. C. Marine life gives off oxygen instead of carbon dioxide, which makes the ocean water rich in oxygen. D. Plants, which release oxygen, live near the surface of the ocean, where they receive large amounts of sunlight.

39. Which evidence best supports that there are a variety of nutrients in Earth’s oceans? ________________________________________ A. Coral can be found in warm waters. B. Freshwater rivers drain into Earth’s oceans. C. Some marine organisms migrate with the seasons. D. A wide range of organisms is sustained in Earth’s oceans.

40. To which condition do all species in the ocean depths have to adapt? ________________________________________ A. lower salinity B. extreme pressure C. swift ocean currents D. hot water temperature

41. How does upwelling in the ocean affect algae populations in the area? ________________________________________ A. The algae population grows slowly and forces marine life to move out to sea. B. The current produced by the upwelling forces the algae population to relocate. C. The algae population becomes depleted as a result of colder water temperatures. D. The nutrients supplied as a result of the upwelling cause algae to become abundant.

42. Organisms that live in an intertidal zone must be able to tolerate which changes to survive? ________________________________________ A. changes in temperature but not salinity B. changes in salinity but not temperature C. changes in both temperature and salinity D. changes in neither salinity nor temperature

43. Why are many fishing boats found near ocean upwellings? ________________________________________ A. There is less vegetation there. B. The water is less turbulent there. C. Many marine species gather there to eat the nutrients brought to the surface. D. Upwellings are found in more shallow waters, so boats do not need deep anchorage.

44. In which location would fishermen most likely catch a greater number of fish? ________________________________________ A. at the shoreline B. in an upwelling C. in the intertidal zone D. on the deep-ocean floor

45. Which is the main source of dissolved oxygen in the ocean? ________________________________________ A. underwater earthquakes B. decay of living organisms C. animals that live near the surface D. plants and algae that live near the surface

46. Which hazard must submersible vehicles overcome while exploring and studying the deep ocean zone? ________________________________________ A. high waves B. increased salinity C. high water pressure D. underwater mountain ranges

47. Which best describes the shallow water ocean zone? ________________________________________ A. The long water column protects small organisms from being eaten by large predators. B. Cooler water temperatures cause a decrease in dissolved oxygen needed by organisms. C. Sunlight penetration increases algae growth and provides food for a variety of organisms. D. Hydrothermal vents provide heat and dissolved minerals needed by some organisms to survive.

48. Which is able to give the most detailed information about the topography of a large area on the ocean floor? ________________________________________ A. sonar B. submersibles C. satellite imagery D. teams of scuba divers

49. Which best describes the types of organisms found in estuaries? ________________________________________ A. They can survive in salt water. B. They are only found in freshwater. C. They cannot tolerate brackish water. D. They tolerate both freshwater and salt water.

50. Why do large numbers of ocean life-forms live near areas of upwelling? ________________________________________ A. Upwelling brings nutrients to the surface. B. Upwelling brings warm water to the surface. C. Upwelling helps push small fish up toward the surface. D. Upwelling keeps large predator fish away from the surface.