12: Freshwater of the Continents

Question 1

Water on the continents represents only __ of

the hydrosphere’s total water.

Answer 1

3%

Question 2

derived from precipitation over the continents generated in the
operation of the global hydrologic cycle

Answer 2

fresh water

Question 3

demonstrates how water is transformed and distributed
across the Earth.

evaporation, condensation,
and precipitation as well as evapotranspiration.

Answer 3

hydrologic cycle

Question 4

plays an important role determining if precipitation will be directed
to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration, to groundwater by percolation, or to streams and rivers as overland flow

Answer 4

soil layer

Question 5

refers to water beneath the surface that fully saturates the pore spaces in bedrock, regolith, or soil

Answer 5

Groundwater

Question 6

marks the upper surface of the groundwater zone where the pore spaces in rock and regolith are completely filled
or saturated with water

Answer 6

water table

Question 7

Groundwater return to the surface by __ into streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes

Answer 7

seepage

Question 8

layer of rock or sediment that holds abundant free flowing ground
water

Answer 8

aquifer

Question 9

movement of groundwater through highly soluble limestone rock produces distinctive __

Answer 9

karst landscapes

Question 10

results of Human use of groundwater resources

Answer 10

depletion of groundwater resources, ground subsidence, and groundwater contamination

Question 11

includes both overland flow and flow in stream and river channels

Answer 11

runoff

Question 12

channels
collect overland flow from slopes and seepage from groundwater and transfer this
water downstream to larger channels.

Answer 12

drainage systems

Question 13

includes all the land around the stream that supplies water to the stream

Answer 13

drainage basin

Question 14

mark the ridges between

adjacent drainage basins

Answer 14

drainage divides

Question 15

flow rate of water past a location on a channel, increases downstream through drainage networks as flow from tributary streams is collected

Answer 15

Discharge

Question 16

plot showing the variation in the discharge of a stream over time

Answer 16

hydrograph

Question 17

lag time between peak discharge and peak precipitation

Answer 17

reflects the time required for water to move down slopes and through progressively larger stream channels

Question 18

occur when discharge exceeds the capacity of a river channel and water
flows over the low-lying floodplain adjacent to the channel.

Answer 18

Floods

Question 19

important elements of the drainage system because they are sources of fresh water and are used for recreation and hydroelectric power generation

Lakes without a surface outlet often become saline as they lose water primarily through evaporation.

Answer 19

lakes

Saline lakes are characteristic of arid climates

Question 20

desert areas relied on __

problems from salinization and water logging

Answer 20

exotic rivers