Exam Study Questions with Expert
Graded A+ Answers
1. What are some actions that humans can take to turn their linear system of
waste into a circular system that better reflects nature, and reduces or
eliminates solid waste? - ANSWER Recycling when possible, reusing
products, returning to nature.
2. Why does salt water intrusion occur? - ANSWER Coastal aquifers are
depleted of freshwater, and saltwater can then flow in and contaminate the
aquifer
3. What are some ways to reduce flooding in urban and suburban areas? -
ANSWER Rain gardens, permeable pavement.
4. What industrial activity uses the most water in more developed countries? -
ANSWER Production of electricity
5. What regions om Earth face economic water scarcity? - ANSWER Most of
sub-Saharan Africa, part of india and southeast asia, parts of peru and
bolivia
6. Arrange the steps that traditional wastewater treatment facilities use to turn
wastewater into clean water. - ANSWER screens filter mater from
wastewater, settling tanks hold wastewater so suspended solids fall to the
bottom before workers discard the solids, wastewater travels to sludge
digester tanks where workers add bacteria, in secondary settling tanks
bacteria continue to break down organic matter and suspend solids fall to the
, bottom, wastewater flows either to lagoons or to treatment tanks where
workers add chemicals to destroy pathogens and remove pollutants, workers
discharge effluent to the environment or send potable water to the local
municipal water supply.
7. What major drawback of natural sewage treatment facilities like the Arcata
facility? - ANSWER It does not produce potable water
8. What are some complicating factors associated with desalination facilities? -
ANSWER financial and energy expenses, disposal of brackish wastewater
9. Arrange the sources of domestic water consumption from the source of
greatest consumption to least consumption - ANSWER Toilets, laundry,
showers, faucets, leaks, other tasks, dishwashers
10.How does reducing consumption of certain goods also reduce consumers
water footprint? - ANSWER Consumers use less water when deciding to
purchase less goods
11.Classify each water pollutant source as a point source or nonpoint source. -
ANSWER Point Source:
animal feedlot lagoon
septic tank
industrial factory discharge
Nonpoint Source:
cropland
construction site
surface mining
, 12.Arrange the causes of pollution from most common to least common
according to data from 2012 - ANSWER pathogens
nitrogen and phosphorus
dissolved metals (excluding mercury)
hypoxia
PCBs (industrial pollutant)
sedimentation
pH changes
mercury
pesticides
13.Arrange the steps of the eutrophication process in the order in which they
occur. - ANSWER 1. runoff from heavy rain carries nutrients into streams
2. nutrients flow downstream into the mississippi river and eventually into the
gulf of mexico
3. stimulated by nutrients, algae in the gulf of mexico rapidly grow, causing the
blockage of sunlight to deeper aquatic plants
4. Aquatic plants are unable to photosynthesize without sunlight, resulting in a
decrease of dissolved oxygen
5. Aquatic plants die, resulting in high populations of decomposing bacteria that
consume any remaining dissolved oxygen
6. Aquatic life either dies or relocates to water with a greater dissolved oxygen
content
14.What triggered eutrophication in the gulf of Mexico? - ANSWER
agriculture runoff containing excess dissolved nutrients, such as nitrogen
and phosphorus