GES EXAM 2 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
How much of Earth's surface water exists in the oceans? - ANS almost all
Which ocean is earths largest? - ANS pacific
What does the hydrologic cycle describe? - ANS The hydrologic cycle describes how liquid
and gaseous water move between the ocean, atmosphere, and land.
How does water get from the oceans onto land? - ANS Ocean water evaporates to form
gaseous water and moves into the atmosphere, where it condenses into liquid water and falls
out of the atmosphere to land as rain.
Submit
What would happen to atmospheric water if Earth were mostly covered with land? - ANS The
atmosphere would contain less water.
What would happen to the oceans if surface runoff and groundwater flow did NOT occur? -
ANS The oceans would become smaller.
Submit
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Page
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, Which of the following is the primary step that allows water to enter the groundwater system?
- ANS infiltration
Which of the following statements about the global water supply is true? - ANS Decreased
precipitation could impact water supply available for humans.
Submit
Rank the following sources of water from largest to smallest in terms of percentage of the
world's total supply. - ANS oceans, glaciers, groundwater, non-glacial ice and snow, lakes,
rivers
Which of the following processes increase ocean salinity? - ANS evaporation
What two elements make up the most abundant seawater salt? - ANS sodium, chlorine
The state of matter in which water is densest - ANS liquid (water)
the state of matter in which water molecules are most energetic - ANS gas (vapor)
the state of matter in which water is compressible - ANS gas (vapor)
the state of matter of steam rising from a cup of coffee - ANS liquid (water)
the state of matter in which water molecules vibrate about fixed locations - ANS solid (ice)
the state of matter of frost on grass - ANS solid (ice)
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, Which term describes the process by which water vapor changes to the liquid state? -
ANS condensation
When water changes directly from gas to solid without occurring as a liquid, which process is
taking place? - ANS deposition
When water changes from one state to another, which process releases more heat energy? -
ANS deposition
On a clear, sunny winter day with an outside temperature of -10ºC, you hang your freshly
laundered clothes outside. In the morning when you hung them out, the wet clothes quickly
froze, but went to being completely dry by afternoon. What change of state has occurred in the
water? - ANS sublimation
After mowing the lawn on a hot, hazy, humid day, you get a large glass from the kitchen and fill
it with ice and water. Immediately, drops of liquid water form on the outside of the glass.
Which change in the state of water are you observing on your glass? - ANS condensation
Which of the following is an example of sublimation? - ANS change from ice to water vapor
Submit
What must break in order for water to change from solid to liquid to gas? - ANS hydrogen
bonds between water molecules
Submit
How much heat energy is needed to melt 1 gram of ice? - ANS 80 calories of heat energy
Why does temperature NOT initially increase as energy is added after ice begins to melt? -
ANS The added energy is used to break hydrogen bonds between water molecules.
3
Page
Submit
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ANSWERS
How much of Earth's surface water exists in the oceans? - ANS almost all
Which ocean is earths largest? - ANS pacific
What does the hydrologic cycle describe? - ANS The hydrologic cycle describes how liquid
and gaseous water move between the ocean, atmosphere, and land.
How does water get from the oceans onto land? - ANS Ocean water evaporates to form
gaseous water and moves into the atmosphere, where it condenses into liquid water and falls
out of the atmosphere to land as rain.
Submit
What would happen to atmospheric water if Earth were mostly covered with land? - ANS The
atmosphere would contain less water.
What would happen to the oceans if surface runoff and groundwater flow did NOT occur? -
ANS The oceans would become smaller.
Submit
1
Page
@COPYRIGHT @THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
, Which of the following is the primary step that allows water to enter the groundwater system?
- ANS infiltration
Which of the following statements about the global water supply is true? - ANS Decreased
precipitation could impact water supply available for humans.
Submit
Rank the following sources of water from largest to smallest in terms of percentage of the
world's total supply. - ANS oceans, glaciers, groundwater, non-glacial ice and snow, lakes,
rivers
Which of the following processes increase ocean salinity? - ANS evaporation
What two elements make up the most abundant seawater salt? - ANS sodium, chlorine
The state of matter in which water is densest - ANS liquid (water)
the state of matter in which water molecules are most energetic - ANS gas (vapor)
the state of matter in which water is compressible - ANS gas (vapor)
the state of matter of steam rising from a cup of coffee - ANS liquid (water)
the state of matter in which water molecules vibrate about fixed locations - ANS solid (ice)
the state of matter of frost on grass - ANS solid (ice)
2
Page
@COPYRIGHT @THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
, Which term describes the process by which water vapor changes to the liquid state? -
ANS condensation
When water changes directly from gas to solid without occurring as a liquid, which process is
taking place? - ANS deposition
When water changes from one state to another, which process releases more heat energy? -
ANS deposition
On a clear, sunny winter day with an outside temperature of -10ºC, you hang your freshly
laundered clothes outside. In the morning when you hung them out, the wet clothes quickly
froze, but went to being completely dry by afternoon. What change of state has occurred in the
water? - ANS sublimation
After mowing the lawn on a hot, hazy, humid day, you get a large glass from the kitchen and fill
it with ice and water. Immediately, drops of liquid water form on the outside of the glass.
Which change in the state of water are you observing on your glass? - ANS condensation
Which of the following is an example of sublimation? - ANS change from ice to water vapor
Submit
What must break in order for water to change from solid to liquid to gas? - ANS hydrogen
bonds between water molecules
Submit
How much heat energy is needed to melt 1 gram of ice? - ANS 80 calories of heat energy
Why does temperature NOT initially increase as energy is added after ice begins to melt? -
ANS The added energy is used to break hydrogen bonds between water molecules.
3
Page
Submit
@COPYRIGHT @THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
