Water

1. Which of the following is a source of freshwater?

a.) Groundwater

b.) Rainwater

c.) Surface run-off

d.) All of the above

Answer – (d.) All of the above

Explanation – Freshwater is water that occurs naturally on Earth’s surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, icebergs, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as underground aquifers and underground streams.

2. Heavy rainfalls lead to:

a.) Drought

b.) Earthquake

c.) Landslides

d.) Floods

Answer – (d.) Floods

Explanation – Heavy rainfalls lead to a rise in the level of water in rivers, lakes and ponds. This water spreads over large areas causing floods.

Drought occurs due to scarcity of rainfall.

Earthquakes, the shaking of the earth, may lead to landslides in hilly areas.

3. The % of total drinking water available on earth is:

a.) 0.3%

b.) 15%

c.) 25%

d.) 45%

Answer – (a.) 0.3%

Explanation – The majority of the water is in the form of ice caps, glaciers, and groundwater, with all lakes, rivers, and swamps combined accounting for only 0.3% of the earth’s total freshwater reserves.

4. Which of the following sources cannot be used for drinking purposes?

a.) River water

b.) Seawater

c.) Lakes

d.) Rivers

Answer – (b.) Seawater

Explanation – Seawater contains salt, and drinking so much salt is harmful to the body, and hence it cannot be used for drinking.

5. The formation of clouds is due to ____.

a.) Evaporation

b.) Condensation

c.) Precipitation

d.) All of the above

Answer – (b.) Condensation

Explanation – The water vapour in the air condenses to form tiny droplets of water, which appear as clouds.

6. Which of the following will lead to a reduction in the availability of groundwater?

a.) Afforestation

b.) Rainwater harvesting

c.) Constructing dams and lakes

d.) Building concrete roads

Answer – (d.) Building concrete roads

Explanation – Building concrete roads reduce the absorption of rainwater by the ground, which ultimately will affect the availability of groundwater.

7. Water cycle is:

a.) The process of water passing out from the surface of the leaves of a plant.

b.) Movement of water from the atmosphere to the earth and then back to the atmosphere.

c.) Water falling from clouds in the form of rain, sleet, snow or hail.

d.) All of the above

Answer – (b.) Movement of water from the atmosphere to the earth and then back to the atmosphere.

Explanation – The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and beneath the Earth’s surface.

8. Groundwater is a:

a.) Renewable resource

b.) Non-renewable resource

c.) Exhaustible resource

d.) Inexhaustible resource

Answer – (a.) Renewable resource

Explanation – After a heavy rain, the majority of the water percolates into the ground through pores on the surface, replenishing the groundwater level.

9. The process by which water from the surface of the earth moves to the atmosphere is:

a.) Precipitation

b.) Condensation

c.) Evaporation

d.) All of the above

Answer – (c.) Evaporation

Explanation – Evaporation is the process by which water moves from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere. Condensation is the process by which the evaporated vapours change back into liquid water, and when clouds become heavy, they come down as rain which is the process of precipitation.

10. Condensation process is the opposite of ____.

a.) Transpiration

b.) Freezing

c.) Evaporation

d.) Sublimation

Answer – (c.) Evaporation

Explanation – Condensation is the process of conversion of water vapour into liquid, and evaporation is the process of conversion of liquid into water vapour. Thus, evaporation and condensation are opposite of each other.

11. The coming down of water in the form of rain, snow, hail, etc., is ____.

a.) Evaporation

b.) Condensation

c.) Precipitation

d.) None of the above

Answer – (c.) Precipitation

Explanation – Any liquid or frozen water that forms in the atmosphere and falls back to Earth is referred to as precipitation.

12. Water exists in ____ forms.

a.) Two

b.) Three

c.) Four

d.) Five

Answer – (b.) Three

Explanation – Water exists in ice (solid), water (liquid) and water vapour (gas) forms.

13. The level of ____ is the water table.

a.) Rainwater

b.) Groundwater

c.) Seawater

d.) All of the above

Answer – (b.) Groundwater

Explanation – The water table is an underground boundary that exists between the soil surface and the spaces where groundwater saturates.

14. The loss of water from plants is termed as:

a.) Translocation

b.) Transfusion

c.) Transpiration

d.) All of the above

Answer – (c.) Transpiration

Explanation – Transpiration is the process by which water evaporates from plant leaves. Water is not lost during transfusion or translocation.

15. The primary source of water is ____.

a.) River water

b.) Rainwater

c.) Groundwater

d.) All of the above

Answer – (b.) Rainwater

Explanation – The primary source of water is rainwater. It is considered to be a pure and fresh form of water. It fills rivers and ponds, as well as collects groundwater.

16. The very first step of the water cycle is:

a.) Condensation

b.) Precipitation

c.) Evaporation

d.) Percolation

Answer – (c.) Evaporation

Explanation – Evaporation is the process by which the surface of a liquid changes to a gas. Liquid water (in the ocean, lakes, or rivers) evaporates and turns into water vapour during the water cycle.

17. The process of collecting rainwater is called ____.

a.) Rainwater harvesting

b.) Rainwater collecting

c.) Rainwater replenishing

d.) Rainwater recharging

Answer – (a.) Rainwater harvesting

Explanation – Rainwater harvesting is the activity of directly collecting rainwater and storing it in big tanks for later use or of making rainwater percolate into the ground more efficiently to recharge groundwater.

18. Choose the correct statement from the following:

a.) Water is required for the survival of all living things, including plants and animals.

b.) Plants and animals will die if they do not have access to water.

c.) In agriculture, water is used to grow food.

d.) All of the above

Answer – (d.) All of the above

Explanation – Water is a precious resource and is used in every industrial, agricultural and household activity.

19. The patterns of rainfall depend on:

a.) Water table

b.) The density pattern of human population in an area

c.) The number of water bodies in an area

d.) The prevailing season in an area

Answer – (c.) The number of water bodies in an area

Explanation – The region that has more water bodies will evaporate more water, increasing the cycle of precipitation water and thus initiating rainfall.

20. The water that is fit for drinking is called _____.

a.) Potable water

b.) Portable water

c.) Portrayed water

d.) None of the above

Answer – (a.) Potable water

Explanation – Potable means something that is safe to drink.