2. Water flows underground primarily because of
a) streamflow
b) caves
c) hydraulic head
d) drought
e) none of the above
3. Compared to ten years ago, the cost of water to an average Santa Barbara family
a) is essentially the same
b) the same when corrected for inflation
c) five times more expensive
d) one thousand times more expensive
e) none of the above
4. When humans pump groundwater out to the surface faster than it can be replenished in the aquifer
a) local gas wells become dry
b) local salt water must be pumped into the ground
c) the ground surface may rise
d) the ocean may flood roads and homes
e) none of the above
5. Kesterson Reservoir and Love Canal
a) are contain contaminated groundwater
b) are both full of water
c) reflect natural redistribution of Se
d) were filled with water until the late 1970's
e) none of the above
6. As part of the groundwater system, caves require special concern because
a) some have deep pits
b) they contain lots of bat guano
c) their residence time is so large
d) they are ineffective cleansers of groundwater
e) none of the above
7. Florida has many sinkholes because
a) it is made of organic sediment
b) meteorite impact craters resist erosion
c) drugs are very acidic
d) there are so many lakes
e) none of the above
8. Factors that influence damage to buildings during earthquakes include
a) steepness of slope
b) building construction
c) sediment or rock type
d) proximity to faults
e) all of the above
9. The Earth is differentiated into light elements in the atmosphere and heavy elements in the core because
a) it is homogeneous
b) it formed in a supernovae
c) of gravity
d) of spinning of the outer liquid core
e) none of the above
10. A molecule
a) is a regular, repeating structure
b) always has Si or O
c) is a group of bonded atoms
d) contains an equal number of protons and neutrons
e) none of the above
11. Waves
a) form from the drag of wind over the ocean surface
b) are necessary for longshore transport
c) are generated by earthquakes
d) increase in amplitude as water depth decreases
e) all of the above
12. The worst natural disaster in North America (in terms of number of people killed) was a
a) hurricane
b) tidal wave
c) tsunami
d) earthquake
e) meteorite impact
13. The frequency of hurricanes from 19701994 was
a) about average, give or take a few
b) several times lower than normal
c) unexpectedly high
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
14. Orogeny
a) is mountain building
b) are serious natural disasters
c) reduces aquifer permeability
d) increases aquifer permeability
e) none of the above
15. Faults may be recognized by
a) patterns of foreshocks
b) scarps
c) temperature differences
d) two of the above
e) none of the above
16. Major earthquakes
a) occur chiefly within tectonic plates
b) invariably cause tsunamis
c) have predictable foreshock sequences
d) have deep epicenters
e) none of the above
17. The Landers earthquake
a) released more energy than the Northridge earthquake
b) occurred in a sparsely populated area
c) caused a great deal of damage
d) was predicted two days earlier
e) two of the above
18. How many magnitude 8 earthquakes are expected in the LA area in the next 100 years?
a) none
b) one
c) five
d) ten
e) 30 times as many magnitude 7 earthquakes
19. The temperature gradient within the Earth derives from
a) rotation of the outer core
b) orbital precession
c) supernovae
d) radioactive heating
e) none of the above
20. Faults in the Santa Barbara area are capable of producing magnitude
a) 3 earthquakes
b) 4 earthquakes
c) 5 earthquakes
d) 6 earthquakes
e) all of the above
21. An earthquake epicenter is
a) where rocks begin to fold under pressure
b) where all seismic energy meets
c) where rocks initially begin to rupture
d) on the Earth's surface directly above the quake's focus
e) none of the above
22. Earthquake energy is transmitted
a) through the Earth's interior only
b) along the Earth's surface only
c) from its epicenter toward its focus
d) in the form of waves
e) none of the above
23. Sunlight decreases from the equator to the poles because
a) there are fewer clouds at the equator
b) of the seasons
c) the Earth precesses on its axis
d) incoming solar radiation is dictated by the incidence angle of the Sun's rays
e) none of the above
24. An earthquake of magnitude 4 releases how many times as much energy as a magnitude 2 earthquake?
a) 900
b) 300
c) 100
d) 2
e) none of the above
25. Seismologists' predictions of an earthquake are
a) 95% accurate with today's high precision satellites
b) based on the frequency and magnitude of past events
c) based on the behavior of sensitive animals
d) done chiefly with the aid of a crystal ball or an ouija board
e) none of the above
26. Foreshocks are
a) hairline cracks in rocks
b) microearthquakes
c) the quakes immediately following aftershocks
d) quakes that follow a swarm of microearthquakes
e) none of the above
27. Mechanical weathering
a) includes abrasion
b) requires acid
c) is faster in tropical climates
d) requires glaciers
e) none of the above
28. The grain size of sediment depends on
a) temperature
b) water acidity
c) water velocity
d) water composition
e) none of the above
29. Karst is _______ to develop in _______ regions
a) likely; polar
b) unlikely; desert
c) likely; desert
d) unlikely; moist
e) none of the above
30. Sandstones are
a) coarse-grained shales
b) fine-grained conglomerates
c) organic detritus
d) indicative of old beaches or rivers
e) none of the above