River Basin and Estuary Review

Which most depends on the others?

• Estuaries

• Oceans

• Rivers

• Sediment

Answer explanation

Estuaries need all three of the others to form. The ocean doesn’t depend on estuaries to be the ocean, nor do rivers to be rivers or sediment to be sediment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which characteristics about the land most likely cause a watershed to drain water?

• The ground is saturated or permeable.

• The ground is saturated or impermeable.

• The ground is unsaturated or impermeable.

• The ground is unsaturated or permeable.

Answer explanation

Being saturated and being impermeable both stop water from soaking in, forcing it to flow along the surface.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which is the best explanation for why a river occurs?

• Divides separate precipitation into different river basins.

• Headwaters collect precipitation high in the mountains.

• Watersheds form from runoff and combine tributaries.

• Estuaries depend on water from rivers and the ocean.

Answer explanation

Just because A happens, doesn’t mean the water will not soak into the ground (thus not forming a river), same with B. D is true, but unhelpful for answering the question.

Which option correctly identifies the parts of the river basin labeled X and Y?

• X: river; Y: tributary

• X: tributary; Y: estuary

• X: tributary; Y: river

• X: river; Y: estuary

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

What process is occurring at the location labeled Z?

• condensation

• evaporation

• infiltration

• transpiration

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

A researcher analyzes the water in a stream and observes that the water contains many snails, crayfish, shrimp, caddisflies, mayflies, and stoneflies. These organisms are invertebrates that are used as bioindicators for bodies of water.

What can be concluded correctly about the water in the stream?

• A. The presence of any living organisms indicates the water is safe to drink.

• B. The presence of many different types of invertebrates indicates the water is polluted.

• C. The presence of insects indicates that decomposition is taking place in the water.

• D. The presence of a variety of invertebrates indicates that the water is suitable for aquatic life.

During a portion of the water cycle, water falls to Earth’s surface as precipitation. Some of this water runs off into channels and keeps moving until it ends up in the ocean.

Which BEST describes the water in the channels?

• lake

• river

• aquifer

• wetland

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which best describes the characteristics of a river basin?

• the land drained by a river and its tributaries

• the land formed when rivers create estuaries and marshes

• the land at the mouth of a river where water flows into the ocean

• the land formed as a result of a river flooding

The water within an estuary can be best described as

• salty

• fresh

• a mix of salty and fresh water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

An estuary can be best described as

• an area where fresh and salt water meet

• an area underground where water is stored

• an area frozen by cold temperatures

• an area where rivers flow

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4