Fresh and Saltwater Systems Topics 5-6

Question 1

Algae

Answer 1

type of aquatic micro-organism, capable of photosynthesis

Question 2

Algal bloom

Answer 2

a problematic population explosion of algae; usually

caused by excessive nutrients

Question 3

biomagnification

Answer 3

concentration of a toxin as it moves up through the food chain

Question 4

sea-floor vents

Answer 4

a crack in the ocean floor that releases heat and minerals

Question 5

chemosynthesis

Answer 5

the process of making food using energy from chemical reactions; carried out by bacteria around sea-floor vents

Question 6

dissolved solids

Answer 6

salts, such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium found dissolved in water

Question 7

hard water

Answer 7

water that contains large

amounts of dissolved salts

Question 8

soft water

Answer 8

water that contains less

salts than hard water

Question 9

toxic substances

Answer 9

poisonous substances

Question 10

bioindicator species

Answer 10

sensitive or important species whose numbers can show the health of an ecosystem

Question 11

water management

Answer 11

the process of maintaining a safe water supply

Question 12

potable

Answer 12

safe to drink

Question 13

water treatment

Answer 13

the purification of a supply of water

Question 14

sewage

Answer 14

waste materials that pass through sewers

Question 15

septic tank

Answer 15

large underground container that stores sewage

Question 16

effluent

Answer 16

wastewater from a septic tank; liquid industrial waste