Middle School Life Science : Describe the flow of matter and energy in the water cycle

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

What process in the hydrological cycle returns water back to lakes, oceans, and rivers from the atmosphere?

Possible Answers:

condensation

deposition

sublimation

precipitation

Correct answer:

precipitation

Explanation:

The answer is "precipitation."


The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #2 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Where does most of Earth's water exist?

Possible Answers:

as lakes, rivers, or streams

in the atmosphere

in the oceans

underground

Correct answer:

in the oceans

Explanation:

The answer is "in the oceans."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #3 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Which of these is NOT a process in the water cycle?

Possible Answers:

sublimation

condensation

evaporation

denitrification

Correct answer:

denitrification

Explanation:

The answer is "denitrification."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #4 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Which of these shows the correct order of processes water will travel through if we begin to follow it as a rain drop?

Possible Answers:

precipitation, runoff, collection, evaporation, condensation, precipitation

 runoff, precipitation, condensation, evaporation, collection,

collection, precipitation, runoff, condensation, evaporation,

 runoff, condensation, precipitation, evaporation, precipitation, collection, 

Correct answer:

precipitation, runoff, collection, evaporation, condensation, precipitation

Explanation:

The answer is "precipitation, runoff, collection, evaporation, condensation, precipitation."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #4 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

About how much of Earth's water is fresh water?

Possible Answers:

97%

30%

1%

3%

Correct answer:

3%

Explanation:

The answer is "3%"

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #5 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

What is the name of the area underground that contains groundwater?

Possible Answers:

a well

a watershed

a water table

an aquifer

Correct answer:

an aquifer

Explanation:

The answer is "an aquifer."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #6 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Where does the energy that powers the hydrologic cycle originate from?

Possible Answers:

electricity

the sun

plants

animals

Correct answer:

the sun

Explanation:

The answer is "the sun."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #7 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Where is most of Earth's fresh water?

Possible Answers:

under ground

made by purifying salt water

in lakes and rivers

frozen in glaciers

Correct answer:

frozen in glaciers

Explanation:

The answer is "frozen in glaciers."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #8 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

What is the most effective way to increase the rate of evaporation of a body of water?

Possible Answers:

increasing the surface area

increasing the volume

decreasing the movement of air over the surface

decreasing the temperature

Correct answer:

increasing the surface area

Explanation:

The answer is "increasing the surface area" because there is more water being warmed at once.

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

Example Question #9 : Describe The Flow Of Matter And Energy In The Water Cycle

Which process describes the movement of water from leaves on a tree into the atmosphere?

Possible Answers:

Evaporation

Condensation

Transpiration

Sublimation

Correct answer:

Transpiration

Explanation:

The answer is "transpiration."

The water cycle, also called the hydrological cycle, describes the flow of water on Earth. Most of Earth’s water exists in the oceans. Some important processes in the water cycle are precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, and sublimation or deposition. Water evaporates from the ocean, condenses in clouds, and rains down (precipitates) back to the Earth, where it is collected in oceans or as runoff in rivers and streams that lead back to the oceans.

Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and most of that is frozen in glaciers rather than available to us in lakes, rivers, or groundwater stores. Snow melt is a form of runoff but some snow can return to the atmosphere through a process called sublimation, and back to snow from a gaseous state through deposition.

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