Environmental Science, 11th Edition (Cunningham)

Chapter 18: Water Pollution

Practice Quiz

1
The principle source of infectious waste material in water is
A)industrial waste.
B)surface runoff.
C)animal feces.
D)agricultural pesticides.
2
Examples of point sources of water pollution include
A)runoff from farm fields.
B)a sewage outfall from a city sewer plant.
C)runoff from parking lots.
D)all of the above.
3
Oxygen-demanding wastes
A)serve as food supplies for decomposers.
B)trigger consumption of dissolved oxygen in water by decomposers.
C)can make a stream uninhabitable by many types of aquatic life.
D)are characterized by all of the above.
4
Since the Clean Water Act of 1972, the quantities of nitrate and phosphate entering surface waters have
A)decreased significantly for both point and nonpoint sources.
B)have decreased for nonpoint sources but not point sources.
C)have decreased for point sources but not nonpoint sources.
D)essentially remained the same.
5
(ital)Pfiesteria piscicida(/ital) is
A)a highly toxic organism associated with polluted water.
B)extremely poisonous to humans.
C)capable of changing into several dozen distinct forms capable of attacking other organisms in diverse ways.
D)characterized by all of the above.
6
The major remaining barriers to achieving improved water quality include the nonpoint discharge(s)
A)surface runoff from urban and agricultural areas.
B)soil erosion.
C)fallout of air pollutants.
D)all of the above.
7
Negative impacts of sediments include
A)blocking of sunlight thereby reducing light availability for aquatic plants.
B)covering up fish spawning areas.
C)creating unaesthetic murky water.
D)all of the above.
8
About 1.5 million Americans get sick annually from fecal contamination producing large health costs. Preventive measures would cost
A)much more.
B)slightly more.
C)about the same.
D)less.
9
The Clean Water Act has turned out to be ___________ in achieving its point source goals.
A)very effective
B)marginally effective
C)ineffective
D)a disaster
10
The central goal of the U.S. Clean Water Act was to
A)make all surface waters swimmable and fishable.
B)categorize water into types of use and then establish an array of different cleanup goals.
C)end all water pollution in the U.S. by 2050.
D)eliminate all nonpoint source pollution where economically feasible.
11
Atmospheric deposition of pollutants is an example of point source pollution.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
12
Eutrophication is a natural process that has been greatly stimulated by human activities.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
13
Runoff of pesticides from lawns, fields, golf courses, and other areas is considered to be one of the most important sources of toxic organic pollution of water.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
14
The greatest remaining need in rectifying remaining water pollution problems in the U.S. and Canada is solving the point source discharge problem.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
15
Pollution of water in large aquifers is essentially irreversible.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
16
Constructed wetlands have allowed Arcata, California to
A)treat wastewater
B)apply ecological solutions to their problems
C)beautify a blighted waterfront
D)all of the above
17
Air pollution can lead to water contamination via a process called atmospheric deposition
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
18
Eutrophication
A)can lead to algal blooms
B)can cause the collapse of an aquatic ecosystem
C)cans sometimes be beneficial, enabling fish to grow faster
D)All of the above
19
The use of water to cool industrial facilities
A)can result in a ‘thermal plume’
B)can attract certain fish, birds and marine mammals
C)was banned as a result of the Clean Water Act
D)1 and 2 are correct
E)All of the above
20
MTBE is a gasoline additive
A)intended to reduce carbon monoxide in vehicle exhaust
B)which evaporates before entering groundwater
C)that is a very serious source of groundwater pollution in the United States
D)1 and 2 are correct
E)1 and 3 are correct
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