Environmental Science Water Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which water treatment process uses chlorine or UV light to kill pathogenic organisms?
- Sedimentation
- Filtration
- Disinfection (Correct answer)
- Coagulation
Correct answer: Disinfection
Disinfection is the final treatment stage that eliminates remaining pathogens to make water safe for drinking.
Question 2: What is the Ogallala Aquifer, and why is it environmentally significant?
- A river system; significant for hydropower
- A massive underground water reserve; being depleted faster than replenished (Correct answer)
- A surface reservoir; source of drinking water for New York City
- A glacial lake; indicator of climate change
Correct answer: A massive underground water reserve; being depleted faster than replenished
The Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer underlies 8 Great Plains states and is being depleted by irrigation far faster than natural recharge.
Question 3: What is water stress, as defined in environmental science?
- Physical pressure on pipes from water hammer
- When freshwater demand exceeds available supply (Correct answer)
- The chemical stress on aquatic organisms from pollutants
- Drought-induced damage to wetland ecosystems
Correct answer: When freshwater demand exceeds available supply
Water stress occurs when human demand for freshwater exceeds the available supply in a given region.
Question 4: Which process in the water cycle returns water to the atmosphere from plant leaves?
- Evaporation
- Precipitation
- Transpiration (Correct answer)
- Infiltration
Correct answer: Transpiration
Transpiration is the process by which plants absorb water through roots and release it as water vapor through leaf stomata.
Question 5: What is the main purpose of riparian buffer zones along waterways?
- To generate hydroelectric power
- To filter runoff and reduce sediment and nutrient loading into streams (Correct answer)
- To provide habitat for migratory birds only
- To mark property boundaries
Correct answer: To filter runoff and reduce sediment and nutrient loading into streams
Riparian buffers of vegetation along stream banks trap sediment, absorb nutrients, and stabilize streambanks.
Question 6: Which contaminant, naturally occurring in some well water, has been linked to cancer and is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act?
- Fluoride
- Arsenic (Correct answer)
- Chlorine
- Magnesium
Correct answer: Arsenic
Arsenic occurs naturally in some aquifers and, at elevated concentrations, is a known human carcinogen regulated under the SDWA.
Environmental Science Water Resources 2
Which water treatment process uses chlorine or UV light to kill pathogenic organisms?