Water Cycle

Which type of sediment sample normally has the greatest permeability rate?

• Unsorted pebbles

• Unsorted sand

• Sorted pebbles

• Sorted sand

The cross section below represents some processes of the water cycle. Arrows represent the infiltration of water. The dashed line labeled X represents the uppermost level of earth material that is saturated by groundwater.

What is indicated by the dashed line labeled X?

• Watershed

• Water table

• Impermeable rock

• Impermeable soil

In the spring when snow cover on the land melts, the water will most likely infiltrate Earth's surface where that land surface is

• still frozen with a steep slope

• still frozen with a gentle slope

• no longer frozen with a steep slope

• no longer frozen with a gentle slope

Water is returned from Earth's surface to the atmosphere by

• condensation and transpiration

• condensation and precipitation

• evaporation and transpiration

• evaporation and precipitation

The diagram below represents two columns, A and B, that were used to determine the infiltration rate and water retention of two different particle sizes by pouring equal amounts of water through each column. Compared to column A, column B had a

• lower rate of infiltration and retained less water

• lower rate of infiltration and retained more water

• higher rate of infiltration and retained less water

• higher rate of infiltration and retained more water

Which diagram best represents sediments with the greatest degree of sorting by size?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The diagrams represent 4 columns, labeled A, B, C, and D, that are partially filled with equal volumes of dry sorted sediments. A fine wire mesh screen covers the bottom of each column to prevent the sediment from falling out. The lower part of each column has been placed in a beaker of water.

Capillarity will cause water to rise highest in column

• A

• B

• C

• D

Equal volumes of sediments from all four columns are mixed and poured into a column of water. Which diagram best represents how the sediments will most likely settle?

• A

• B

• C

• D

The downward movement of water from location A will usually be greatest when the soil is

• nonporous and the particles are uniformly small in size

• nonporous and the particles are uniformly large in size

• porous and the particles are uniformly small in size

• porous and the particles are uniformly large in size

What would most likely reduce the amount of runoff at location B?

• infiltration occurring faster than precipitation

• greater condensation than evaporation

• saturated soil below the land surface

• a frozen land surface