Week 1 material

Question 1

What is water quality?

Answer 1

Describes the physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics of
water, including, its suitability for a
particular purpose (e.g., drinking,
swimming or ecosystem functioning)

Question 2

What is the Physical component of water quality?

Answer 2

What the water looks like

Suspended solids

Question 3

What is the chemical component of water quality?

Answer 3

What is dissolved in the water

Question 4

What is the Biological component of water quality?

Answer 4

What is living in the water

Question 5

What are the Key water quality parameters?

Answer 5

Dissolved oxygen
• Suspended solids
(turbidity)
• Nutrients
• Conductivity
• Contaminants
• pH

Question 6

What is the definition of concentration?

Answer 6

Concentration is the amount of something per unit volume.

Question 7

What is concentration measured in?

Answer 7

Commonly in units of moles of A per

litre of water or M

Question 8

What is the O2 concentration determined by?

Answer 8

temperature

Question 9

What molecules are considered Nutrients?

Answer 9

N, P, others

Question 10

What is the problem with too much nutrients?

Answer 10

More nutrients = more growth

can lead to algae blooms and other disasters

Question 11

What causes excess nutrients?

Answer 11

humans

Question 12

What is conductivity a measure for?

Answer 12

Measure of dissolved ions

i.e., salt

Question 13

What is the conductivity of saltwater?

Answer 13

high

Question 14

What is conductivity important for?

Answer 14

Important for tracing sources

and characterising water

Question 15

What is the conductivity of freshwater?

Answer 15

low

Question 16

What is the typical PH of the ocean?

Answer 16

PH 8

Question 17

What is the typical PH of the freshwater?

Answer 17

pH 6-8

Question 18

What is the typical PH of the rain?

Answer 18

~4-5

Question 19

When is Dissolved Oxygen a problem?

Answer 19

when levels are too low

Question 20

What causes problems with Dissolved Oxygen?

Answer 20

too much organic matter
(carbon) and nutrients lead to excess
microbial respiration

Question 21

What is the effect of low oxygen?

Answer 21

death of aquatic organisms

Question 22

When is turbidity a problem?

Answer 22

when levels are too high(too much suspended material)

Question 23

What effect does turbidity have?

Answer 23

Adds organics (food) and nutrients to aquatic systems, blocks light and prevents photosynthesis

Question 24

What is the solution to controlling turbidity and nutrients?

Answer 24

improve catchment management

Question 25

What is the effect of excess nutrients?

Answer 25

Algae blooms, temporary boost in
O2, block light at lower depths, ends in
low (sometimes no) DO, toxin release

Question 26

When is conductivity a problem what causes it?

Answer 26

levels too high because too much dissolved solids

Question 27

What does high levels of conductivity cause?

Answer 27

Sometimes fatal to plants and animals

Question 28

how can high conductivity be solved?

Answer 28

improve groundwater management,

agricultural practices

Question 29

When is pH a problem what causes this pH level?

Answer 29

levels too low or high caused by oxidation of iron sulfides

Question 30

How can pH be improved?

Answer 30

Improve management of mine wastes, and acid sulfate soils