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1 | |
The most abundant chemical compound at the surface of the earth is |
| | A) | silicon dioxide. |
| | B) | nitrogen gas. |
| | C) | water. |
| | D) | minerals of iron, magnesium, and silicon. |
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2 | |
Of the total supply, the amount of water that is available for human consumption and agriculture is |
| | A) | 97 percent. |
| | B) | about two-thirds. |
| | C) | about 3 percent. |
| | D) | less than 1 percent. |
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3 | |
Considering yearly global averages of precipitation that fall on and evaporate from the land, |
| | A) | more is precipitated than evaporates. |
| | B) | more evaporates than is precipitated. |
| | C) | there is a balance between the amount precipitated and the amount evaporated. |
| | D) | there is no pattern that can be generalized. |
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4 | |
In general, how much of all the precipitation that falls ends up as runoff and groundwater? |
| | A) | 97 percent |
| | B) | about half |
| | C) | about one-third |
| | D) | less than 1 percent |
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5 | |
Groundwater is |
| | A) | any water beneath the earth's surface. |
| | B) | water beneath the earth's surface from a saturated zone. |
| | C) | water that soaks into the ground. |
| | D) | any of the above. |
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6 | |
In a region of abundant rainfall a layer of extensively cracked, but otherwise solid, granite could serve as a limited source of groundwater because it has |
| | A) | limited permeability and no porosity. |
| | B) | average porosity and average permeability. |
| | C) | no permeability and no porosity. |
| | D) | limited porosity and no permeability. |
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7 | |
How many different oceans are actually on the earth's surface? |
| | A) | 14 |
| | B) | 7 |
| | C) | 3 |
| | D) | 1 |
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8 | |
The largest of the three principal ocean regions of the earth is the |
| | A) | Atlantic Ocean. |
| | B) | Pacific Ocean. |
| | C) | Indian Ocean. |
| | D) | South American Ocean. |
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9 | |
The Gulf of Mexico is a shallow sea of the |
| | A) | Atlantic Ocean. |
| | B) | Pacific Ocean. |
| | C) | Indian Ocean. |
| | D) | South American Ocean. |
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10 | |
Measurement of the salts dissolved in seawater taken from various locations throughout the world show that seawater has a |
| | A) | uniform chemical composition and a variable concentration. |
| | B) | variable chemical composition and a variable concentration. |
| | C) | uniform chemical composition and a uniform concentration. |
| | D) | variable chemical composition and a uniform concentration. |
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11 | |
The percentage of dissolved salts in seawater averages about |
| | A) | 35%. |
| | B) | 3.5%. |
| | C) | 0.35%. |
| | D) | 0.035%. |
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12 | |
The salinity of seawater is increased locally by |
| | A) | the addition of water from a large river. |
| | B) | heavy precipitation. |
| | C) | the formation of sea ice. |
| | D) | none of the above. |
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13 | |
Considering only the available light and the dissolving ability of gases in seawater, more abundant life should be found in a |
| | A) | cool, relatively shallow ocean. |
| | B) | warm, very deep ocean. |
| | C) | warm, relatively shallow ocean. |
| | D) | cool, very deep ocean. |
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14 | |
The regular, low profile waves called swell are produced from |
| | A) | constant, prevailing winds. |
| | B) | small, irregular waves becoming superimposed. |
| | C) | longer wavelengths outrunning and outlasting shorter wavelengths. |
| | D) | all wavelengths becoming transformed by gravity as they travel any great distance. |
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15 | |
If the wavelength of swell is 10.0 m, then you know that the fish below the surface feel the waves to a depth of |
| | A) | 5.0 m. |
| | B) | 10.0 m. |
| | C) | 20.0 m. |
| | D) | however deep it is to the bottom. |
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16 | |
In general, a breaker forms where the water depth is about 1 1/3 times the wave |
| | A) | period. |
| | B) | length. |
| | C) | height. |
| | D) | width. |
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17 | |
The largest of all ocean waves is the |
| | A) | tidal bore. |
| | B) | swell. |
| | C) | storm wave. |
| | D) | tsunami. |
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18 | |
Ocean currents are generally driven by |
| | A) | the rotation of the earth. |
| | B) | the prevailing winds. |
| | C) | rivers from the land. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
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19 | |
The greatest volume of water is moved by the |
| | A) | Mississippi River. |
| | B) | California Current. |
| | C) | Gulf Stream. |
| | D) | Colorado River. |
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20 | |
The continental shelf, which is covered with an average depth of 130 m of seawater, is part of (the) |
| | A) | continent, which is why it is called the continental shelf. |
| | B) | abyssal plain. |
| | C) | ocean basin. |
| | D) | none of the above. |
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education