Hydrology: The Study of Water on Earth

Question 1

Which process is NOT a major component of the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Transpiration

Question 2

Which ocean holds the distinction of being the largest in the world?

Accepted Answer

Pacific Ocean

Answer

Atlantic Ocean

Answer

Indian Ocean

Answer

Southern Ocean

Question 3

Which of the following factors does NOT influence the rate of infiltration?

Accepted Answer

Wind speed

Answer

Soil texture

Answer

Slope

Answer

Vegetation cover

Question 4

What is the term for the process by which water accumulates in natural or artificial reservoirs?

Accepted Answer

Accumulation

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Infiltration

Question 5

Approximately what proportion of Earth's surface is covered by water?

Accepted Answer

70%

Answer

20%

Answer

50%

Answer

90%

Question 6

What is the term for the region of land that contributes water to a river or stream?

Accepted Answer

Catchment

Answer

Aquifer

Answer

Delta

Answer

Estuary

Question 7

What is the term used to describe the amount of dissolved solids in water?

Accepted Answer

Salinity

Answer

Acidity

Answer

Hardness

Answer

Alkalinity

Question 8

What is the name of the instrument used to measure the depth of water?

Accepted Answer

Sounding line

Answer

Anemometer

Answer

Barometer

Answer

Psychrometer

Question 9

What process causes water to move from Earth's surface into the air?

Accepted Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Precipitation

Answer

Infiltration

Question 10

Which factor does NOT affect the formation of drainage patterns?

Accepted Answer

Plate tectonics

Answer

Rock type

Answer

Climate

Answer

Vegetation

Question 11

What is the term for the underground layer of soil or rock that is completely saturated with water?

Accepted Answer

Aquifer

Answer

Artesian well

Answer

Water table

Answer

Recharge zone

Question 12

What is the process by which water seeps into the ground?

Accepted Answer

Infiltration

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Percolation

Answer

Transpiration

Question 13

What is the term for the transfer of water from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Precipitation

Answer

Infiltration

Question 14

Which of the following is **not** a major step in the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Precipitation

Question 15

What is the name of the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas?

Accepted Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Sublimation

Answer

Precipitation

Question 16

What is the primary factor that determines the flow speed of a river?

Accepted Answer

Gradient

Answer

Discharge

Answer

Width

Answer

Depth

Question 17

Which of the following is a common characteristic of a meandering river?

Accepted Answer

Sinuous channel

Answer

Straight channel

Answer

Braided channel

Answer

V-shaped valley

Question 18

Which is the largest lake in the United Kingdom?

Accepted Answer

Loch Lomond

Answer

Lake Windermere

Answer

Ullswater

Answer

Derwentwater

Question 19

Which type of river channel would you expect to find in a meandering river?

Accepted Answer

Sinuous

Answer

Straight

Answer

Braided

Answer

Anastomosing

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a potential impact of climate change on hydrology?

Accepted Answer

Improved water quality

Answer

Changes in precipitation patterns

Answer

Increased risk of flooding

Answer

Decreased water availability

Question 21

What is the term used to describe the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries?

Accepted Answer

Watershed

Answer

Aquifer

Answer

Floodplain

Answer

Delta

Question 22

What is the primary method used in the UK to treat wastewater before returning it to the environment?

Accepted Answer

Activated sludge treatment

Answer

Septic tanks

Answer

Sand filtration

Answer

Ultraviolet disinfection

Question 23

Which characteristic distinguishes rivers from lakes?

Accepted Answer

Continuous water flow

Answer

High sediment concentration

Answer

Varying depth

Answer

Diverse aquatic life

Question 24

The process by which water evaporates from the Earth's surface and condenses into clouds is called:

Accepted Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Sublimation

Question 25

The largest ocean in the world is the:

Accepted Answer

Pacific Ocean

Answer

Atlantic Ocean

Answer

Indian Ocean

Answer

Arctic Ocean

Question 26

The process of water moving through the ground is known as:

Accepted Answer

Percolation

Answer

Infiltration

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Runoff

Question 27

The study of the distribution and movement of water on the Earth's surface is known as:

Accepted Answer

Hydrology

Answer

Hydrogeology

Answer

Oceanography

Answer

Meteorology

Question 28

Which of the following is a measure of the amount of water flowing in a river?

Accepted Answer

Discharge

Answer

Velocity

Answer

Depth

Answer

Gradient

Question 29

What is the primary factor responsible for the formation of river meanders?

Accepted Answer

Erosion and deposition

Answer

Gravitational force

Answer

Coriolis effect

Answer

Convergence of tributaries

Question 30

What is the primary source of nitrate pollution in water bodies?

Accepted Answer

Agricultural runoff

Answer

Industrial discharge

Answer

Household wastewater

Question 31

How do deforestation and urbanization disrupt the natural processes of the water cycle, and what are the potential consequences of these disruptions?

Accepted Answer

Deforestation reduces interception and transpiration, leading to decreased evapotranspiration and increased runoff.

Accepted Answer

Urbanization increases impervious surfaces, leading to decreased infiltration and increased surface runoff.

Answer

Human activities have a negligible impact on the overall water cycle.

Answer

Increased runoff caused by human activities has no effect on the water quality of water bodies.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT considered a major hydrological process?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Infiltration

Answer

Runoff

Question 33

Which of the following processes is primarily responsible for transporting sediment in rivers?

Accepted Answer

Erosion and transportation

Answer

Evaporation and condensation

Answer

Runoff and overland flow

Answer

Infiltration and percolation

Question 34

What is the term for the impermeable layer of rock or clay that prevents water from infiltrating deeper into the ground?

Accepted Answer

Aquiclude

Answer

Aquifer

Answer

Aquitard

Question 35

Which of the following is a characteristic of a dendritic drainage pattern?

Accepted Answer

Formed by the headward erosion of streams

Answer

Formed by glacial erosion

Answer

Formed along fault lines

Answer

Formed by wind erosion

Question 36

What is the main source of energy that drives the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Gravitational force

Answer

Geothermal energy

Answer

Wind power

Question 37

Which process involves the movement of water from the ground surface into the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Infiltration

Answer

Precipitation

Answer

Condensation

Question 38

Which of the following factors does NOT influence the rate of infiltration?

Accepted Answer

Temperature

Answer

Soil type

Answer

Slope

Answer

Vegetation cover

Question 39

Which type of precipitation occurs when warm, moist air rises and cools?

Accepted Answer

Convectional rainfall

Answer

Orographic rainfall

Answer

Cyclonic rainfall

Answer

Frontal rainfall

Question 40

What is the device used to measure humidity called?

Accepted Answer

Hygrometer

Answer

Anemometer

Answer

Thermometer

Question 41

Which of these is NOT a part of the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Magma

Answer

Runoff

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Precipitation

Question 42

Which property of water lets it dissolve many different substances?

Accepted Answer

Polarity

Answer

Specific heat capacity

Answer

Density

Answer

Viscosity

Question 43

What is the term for the area of land that supplies water to a river?

Accepted Answer

Catchment area

Answer

Aquifer

Answer

Delta

Answer

Floodplain

Question 44

Which of these does NOT affect how much water flows in a river?

Accepted Answer

Wind speed

Answer

Rainfall

Answer

Channel gradient

Question 45

Which feature is essential for an underground water store (aquifer)?

Accepted Answer

Permeability

Answer

Plasticity

Answer

Compressibility

Answer

Imperviousness

Question 46

What process releases water vapor from plants back into the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Sublimation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Evaporation