Reading 1: Water Cycle

What is the main process that drives the water cycle?

• • A. Evaporation

• • B. Condensation

• • C. Precipitation

• • D. Solar radiation

2. What happens when water evaporates from the Earth's surface?

• • A. It turns into ice

• B. It rises into the atmosphere

• • C. It sinks into the ground

• D. It changes its chemical composition

What is the term for water droplets that form in clouds?

• • A. Precipitation

• • B. Condensation

• • C. Humidity

• • D. Saturation

What are the different types of precipitation?

• • A. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail

• • B. Liquid water, solid water, and gas

• • C. Surface water and groundwater

• • D. Saltwater and freshwater

When does precipitation occur?

• • A. When water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses

• • B. When the temperature of the Earth's surface is below freezing

• • C. When there is too much water in the atmosphere

• D. When there is not enough water in the atmosphere

What happens to water that falls on land but does not soak into the ground?

• • A. It evaporates back into the atmosphere

• • B. It flows into rivers and streams

• • C. It collects in lakes and ponds

• • D. All of the above

What is the term for underground water that is stored in porous rocks and soil?

• • A. Surface water

• • B. Groundwater

• • C. Atmospheric water

• • D. Ocean water

How does groundwater get into aquifers?

• • A. Through precipitation that soaks into the ground

• • B. Through the melting of glaciers and ice sheets

• • C. Through the flow of rivers and streams

• • D. All of the above

What are the two main ways that humans use groundwater?

• • A. For drinking water and irrigation

• • B. For industrial and manufacturing purposes

• • C. For generating electricity and power

• • D. For transportation and recreation

What are some of the environmental problems associated with groundwater overuse?

• • A. Lowering of water tables

• • B. Saltwater intrusion

• • C. Land subsidence

• • D. All of the above