CHAPTER 11 Review Sheet Answers
Which reservoir contains the most water?
groundwater
How much of the Earth's water is stored in underground aquifers?
about 20%
What is the process by which water enters the small pore spaces between particles in soil or rock?
infiltration
Which term is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air as a proportion of the maximum amount the air could hold at the same temperature?
relative humidity
The percentage of a rock's total volume that is taken up by pore space is called the ______.
porosity
6. Permeability is ______.
the ability of a solid to allow fluids to pass through
The best groundwater reservoirs have (aquifers) ______.?
high permeability and high porosity
8. The ability of an Earth material to transmit water is a measure of its:
permeability
The lowering effect on the water table about the base of the well stem is called a(n):
cone of depression
A local water table positioned above the regional water table is said to be:
perched
11. True or false the water table is generally flat:
False
The boundary between the saturated zone and the unsaturated zone is called the______
water table
The infiltration of water into the subsurface is the ______.
recharge
What is the term for a relatively impermeable geologic unit?
an aquitard
15. Excessive pumping in relation to recharge can cause ______.
the water table to decline, a cone of depression to form, the well to go dry
The most abundant, natural acid that occurs when Carbon Dioxide Mixes with water and creates caves is:
carbonic
17. Most groundwater withdrawn in the United States is used for ______.
irrigation
In what types of rock do most caves form?
limestone
Stalactites and stalagmites in caves are composed of limestone otherwise known as ______.
calcite
Sea water contains large amounts of ______.
sodium
Most of the water coming out of continental hot springs is ______.
Hot
With respect to the Earth's land surface, what could be an equation used to describe precipitation in terms of the hydrologic cycle?
precipitation = evaporation – infiltration
What is a sure sign of karst?
sinkholes
24. True or false warm air can hold more water than cool air?
True
Groundwater is generally potable because:
The water is filtered as it sinks below the earth
The diagram above represents a cross section through a coastal mountain range. Which region would get the most rain?
Region A would receive the most precipitation
What feature might you expect to see developed in region C?
an alluvial fan
California imports most of its water supply. What is most of the water used for?
agriculture
28. Which region has the highest average annual rainfall?
Northwest
A well that does not need to be pumped due to positive pressure as it sits below the water table is ______?
An Artesian Well
What is the largest in the world anddrains into the most underground aquifers?
Amazon in South America
Groundwater represents how much of the world's fresh water supply?
About 20%
What rock has the highest permeability?
Gravel
What material has the highest porosity?
Silt Sand
What is the difference between the saturated and the unsaturated zones of ground water?
the pore spaces in the saturated zone are completely full of water; the pore spaces in the unsaturated zone are not completely full of water.
What is an aquifer? .
A highly saturated zone
In the diagram above region A is the ______.
unsaturated zone
In the diagram above region B is the ______.
saturated zone
streams that flow into the ground are ______
more common in humid regions
Pumping the same amount as is recharged can cause______
nothing to happen the water table will stay the same
40. In what type of rock do most caves form?
limestone
Sinkholes are a possible danger in regions underlain by what type of bedrock?
limestone
Water that is good enough to drink is called ______.
potable water
What can contaminate an aquifer?
Landfills, agricultural regions, gas/oil