Question 1

Which of the following settings contains the least amount of water?

Accepted Answer

A)  oceans 
B)  lakes 
C)  groundwater 
D)  ice caps and glaciers 
E)  atmosphere 
A)  oceans 
B)  lakes 
C)  groundwater 
D)  ice caps and glaciers 
E)  atmosphere

Question 2

Which of the following is occurring in the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho?

Accepted Answer

A)  water from rivers soaks into the ground, causing the rivers to disappear be lost) 
B)  a large amount of water flows underground 
C)  huge springs result where groundwater flows onto the surface 
D)  all of these are occurring 
A)  water from rivers soaks into the ground, causing the rivers to disappear be lost) 
B)  a large amount of water flows underground 
C)  huge springs result where groundwater flows onto the surface 
D)  all of these are occurring

Question 3

Which of the following statements about porosity is NOT valid?

Accepted Answer

A)  the amount of water that can be stored depends on the porosity 
B)  porosity partly depends on size and shape of grains and clasts 
C)  better sorted sediments have more porosity than unsorted ones 
D)  fractures may be the only real porosity in some igneous rocks 
E)  all of these are valid 
A)  the amount of water that can be stored depends on the porosity 
B)  porosity partly depends on size and shape of grains and clasts 
C)  better sorted sediments have more porosity than unsorted ones 
D)  fractures may be the only real porosity in some igneous rocks 
E)  all of these are valid

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT true about groundwater flow?

Accepted Answer

A)  in some igneous groundwater reservoirs, flow is determined by the orientation of fractures 
B)  excess pumping from wells can cause subsidence and reduction of porosity 
C)  a decrease in the gradient slope of the water table) increases the velocity 
D)  water moves from areas where the water table is highest to areas where it is lowest 
A)  in some igneous groundwater reservoirs, flow is determined by the orientation of fractures 
B)  excess pumping from wells can cause subsidence and reduction of porosity 
C)  a decrease in the gradient slope of the water table) increases the velocity 
D)  water moves from areas where the water table is highest to areas where it is lowest

Question 5

Which of the following materials probably has the highest permeability?

Accepted Answer

A)  highly fractured granite 
B)  compacted clays with moderate porosity 
C)  highly porous volcanic rock with holes that are isolated from one another 
D)  granite with sparse fractures that are filled with insoluble material 
A)  highly fractured granite 
B)  compacted clays with moderate porosity 
C)  highly porous volcanic rock with holes that are isolated from one another 
D)  granite with sparse fractures that are filled with insoluble material

Question 6

Which of the following rocks has the highest porosity?

Accepted Answer

A)  a fine-grained shale 
B)  lightly cemented sandstone 
C)  a coarsely crystalline granite 
D)  a metamorphic schist or gneiss 
A)  a fine-grained shale 
B)  lightly cemented sandstone 
C)  a coarsely crystalline granite 
D)  a metamorphic schist or gneiss

Question 7

Approximately how fast does groundwater move beneath the surface of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  a few centimeters per day 
B)  a few meters per day 
C)  a few kilometers per day 
D)  a few kilometers per hour 
A)  a few centimeters per day 
B)  a few meters per day 
C)  a few kilometers per day 
D)  a few kilometers per hour

Question 8

What sedimentary rock is composed primarily of calcium carbonate?

Accepted Answer

A)  limestone 
B)  sandstone 
C)  shale 
A)  limestone 
B)  sandstone 
C)  shale

Question 9

This map shows elevations of the water table beneath an area. Which way does the upper level of groundwater flow? Generally toward the:

Accepted Answer

A)  south 
B)  north 
C)  northeast 
D)  northwest 
A)  south 
B)  north 
C)  northeast 
D)  northwest

Question 10

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave are formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate, due to the evaporation of water?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 and 2 
B)  2 and 3 
C)  3 and 4 
D)  1 and 3 
E)  1 and 4 
A)  1 and 2 
B)  2 and 3 
C)  3 and 4 
D)  1 and 3 
E)  1 and 4

Question 11

Which of the following is true about the water table?

Accepted Answer

A)  the shape of the water table does not mimic topography 
B)  the water table generally is highest in elevation beneath lakes 
C)  the water table can slope in opposite directions beneath a hill 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these 
A)  the shape of the water table does not mimic topography 
B)  the water table generally is highest in elevation beneath lakes 
C)  the water table can slope in opposite directions beneath a hill 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these

Question 12

Which of the following is a valid statement with relevance to groundwater?

Accepted Answer

A)  In most sediments, adjacent grains fit tightly together. 
B)  Fractures are the main way groundwater moves through some rocks, such as granite. 
C)  Most groundwater occurs in caves and underground lakes. 
D)  None of these. 
A)  In most sediments, adjacent grains fit tightly together. 
B)  Fractures are the main way groundwater moves through some rocks, such as granite. 
C)  Most groundwater occurs in caves and underground lakes. 
D)  None of these.

Question 13

A spring is a place where water flows naturally from rock:

Accepted Answer

A)  onto the land surface 
B)  into a cave 
C)  farther underground 
A)  onto the land surface 
B)  into a cave 
C)  farther underground

Question 14

Which of the following is a common setting for a spring?

Accepted Answer

A)  the water table intersects the surface 
B)  a permeable rock overlies a less permeable one 
C)  sedimentary rocks overlie crystalline rocks along an unconformity 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these 
A)  the water table intersects the surface 
B)  a permeable rock overlies a less permeable one 
C)  sedimentary rocks overlie crystalline rocks along an unconformity 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these

Question 15

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes drinking water standards to:

Accepted Answer

A)  determine how much water each state can use on a yearly basis 
B)  set a safe limit on the concentration of select contaminants in groundwater 
C)  control the bottled drinking water industry 
A)  determine how much water each state can use on a yearly basis 
B)  set a safe limit on the concentration of select contaminants in groundwater 
C)  control the bottled drinking water industry

Question 16

The water table has:

Accepted Answer

A)  a shape similar to that of the land surface lying above it 
B)  a shape that is opposite of the shape of the surface of the land lying above it 
C)  an exact shape of the surface of the land lying above it 
A)  a shape similar to that of the land surface lying above it 
B)  a shape that is opposite of the shape of the surface of the land lying above it 
C)  an exact shape of the surface of the land lying above it

Question 17

The term for groundwater that is confined and rises in a well because it is under pressure is:

Accepted Answer

A)  artesian 
B)  groundwater divide 
C)  hydraulic gradient 
A)  artesian 
B)  groundwater divide 
C)  hydraulic gradient

Question 18

Where on this cross section would groundwater most likely flow out to the surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  1, 2, and 3 
B)  1 and 3 
C)  2 and 4 
D)  2 only 
E)  4 only 
A)  1, 2, and 3 
B)  1 and 3 
C)  2 and 4 
D)  2 only 
E)  4 only

Question 19

The part of the subsurface where most of the pore spaces are filled with air is the:

Accepted Answer

A)  unsaturated zone 
B)  saturated zone 
C)  aquifer 
A)  unsaturated zone 
B)  saturated zone 
C)  aquifer

Question 20

A large body of permeable, saturated material through which groundwater can flow well enough to yield sufficient water to wells and springs is an):

Accepted Answer

A)  aquifer 
B)  groundwater divide 
C)  hydraulic gradient 
D)  aquitard 
A)  aquifer 
B)  groundwater divide 
C)  hydraulic gradient 
D)  aquitard

Which of the following settings contains the least amount of water?

Which of the following is occurring in the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho?

Which of the following statements about porosity is NOT valid?

Which of the following is NOT true about groundwater flow?

Which of the following materials probably has the highest permeability?

Which of the following rocks has the highest porosity?

Approximately how fast does groundwater move beneath the surface of the Earth?

What sedimentary rock is composed primarily of calcium carbonate?

This map shows elevations of the water table beneath an area. Which way does the upper level of groundwater flow? Generally toward the:

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave are formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate, due to the evaporation of water?

Which of the following is true about the water table?

Which of the following is a valid statement with relevance to groundwater?

A spring is a place where water flows naturally from rock:

Which of the following is a common setting for a spring?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes drinking water standards to:

The water table has:

The term for groundwater that is confined and rises in a well because it is under pressure is:

Where on this cross section would groundwater most likely flow out to the surface?

The part of the subsurface where most of the pore spaces are filled with air is the:

A large body of permeable, saturated material through which groundwater can flow well enough to yield sufficient water to wells and springs is an):

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

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Exam 17: Water Resources

Which of the following settings contains the least amount of water?

Which of the following is occurring in the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho?

Which of the following statements about porosity is NOT valid?

Which of the following is NOT true about groundwater flow?

Which of the following materials probably has the highest permeability?

Which of the following rocks has the highest porosity?

Approximately how fast does groundwater move beneath the surface of the Earth?

What sedimentary rock is composed primarily of calcium carbonate?

This map shows elevations of the water table beneath an area. Which way does the upper level of groundwater flow? Generally toward the:

Which of these four numbered features on the surface or in a cave are formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate, due to the evaporation of water?

Which of the following is true about the water table?

Which of the following is a valid statement with relevance to groundwater?

A spring is a place where water flows naturally from rock:

Which of the following is a common setting for a spring?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes drinking water standards to:

The water table has:

The term for groundwater that is confined and rises in a well because it is under pressure is:

Where on this cross section would groundwater most likely flow out to the surface?

The part of the subsurface where most of the pore spaces are filled with air is the:

A large body of permeable, saturated material through which groundwater can flow well enough to yield sufficient water to wells and springs is an):

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters