The Hydrosphere ESS8.2

Which best describes the water in an estuary?

• brackish

• frozen

• fresh

• salt

Which is the dominant physical feature of planet Earth?

• oceans

• glaciers

• continents

• atmosphere

A family living in a house needs to dig a new well before they will have usable water. Several options for the well location are shown in the diagram below. Which location would be the best choice for the new well?

• Q

• R

• S

• T

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Which best explains why so little of the water on Earth is available for human use?

• 97% of total water on Earth is freshwater, and most of the remaining 3% is salt water in the ocean basins.

• 97% of total water on Earth is salt water, and most of the remaining 3% is freshwater frozen in ice caps and glaciers.

• 97% of total water on Earth is freshwater, and most of the remaining 3% is salt water found in underground aquifers.

• 97% of total water on Earth is salt water, and most of the remaining 3% is freshwater found in lakes, rivers, and ponds.

Which is most likely the largest contributor to a decrease in North Carolina’s water availability?

• evaporation

• global warming

• increase in population

• expansion of agricultural areas

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Which explains why water is a limited resource even in most coastal areas of the world?

• Most of Earth’s water is fresh groundwater.

• Most of Earth’s water is salty ocean water.

• Most of Earth’s water is fresh river water.

• Most of Earth’s water is salty lake water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Which is an area of land that all drains to one place?

• river

• aquifer

• reservoir

• watershed

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Where is the majority of Earth’s freshwater located?

• groundwater

• oceans

• lakes

• ice

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Of the 74% of Earth's surface that is covered in water, which contains the most water?

• lakes

• rivers

• oceans

• streams

Which best explains how the oceans became salt water?

• Salt was eroded from the land and was washed into the oceans.

• Salt was evaporated into the air and then fell to the oceans as precipitation.

• Salt was brought to Earth in asteroids and accumulated in oceans over time.

• Salt was taken in by marine organisms and excreted as waste into the oceans.