Water quiz


1) One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Do you know which one of these processes does not produce CO2?
a) photosynthesis by plants
b) burning of fossil fuel
c) volcanic eruptions
d) respiration by animals

Hint
2) What is a coral?
a) an algae
b) a plant
c) an animal
d) a rock

3) What is an atoll?
a) an artificial island
b) an island with a lagoon
c) a ring-shaped coral reef surrounding a lagoon
d) a corallian island

4) Which one of these is false?
a) healthy reefs are growing continuously because live coral grows on the accumulated skeletons of dead coral
b) coral colour comes from associated species of algae living together with coral polyps
c) slight changes in water temperatures, low salinity and high sunlight levels do not cause coral bleaching
d) coral bleaching occurs when associated algae is expelled from the coral tissue, which loses its colour and eventually dies

5) This Formosat image shows the ice fragments issued from the disintegration of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antartica.
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Wilkins shelf bergs
Wilkins shelf disintegration, Antartica (08/03/08). Source: National Cheng-Kung University and National Space Organization (Taiwan). Click on the image for a detailed view.
Can you estimate the size of the longest berg (or longest part of berg) you can see in this image ?
a) 250 m
b) 500 m
c) 750 m
d) 1000 m

6) What is the Gulf stream ?
a) a warm ocean current in the North Atlantic ocean
b) a cold ocean current in the North Atlantic ocean
c) a warm ocean current in the North Pacific ocean
d) a cold ocean current in the North Pacific ocean

7) Why do you think delta areas expand continuously ?
a) because sediments carried by river water tend to deposit at the end of the waterways
b) because people keep building artificial islands by land reclamation
c) because sea level is lowering due to climate change
d) none of the above is correct

Hint

8) Why do phytoplankton blooms often form in upwelling areas ?
a) because deep water coming to the surface is particularly rich in nutrients
b) because deep water coming to the surface is particularly clean
c) because deep water coming to the surface is particularly cold
d) because typical coastal deserts tend to develop inland


9) Have a closer look at this oil spill image. The extent of the marine pollution - on 13/12/92 - is shown in dark green. What was still left three weeks later is in lighter colour.
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Oil spill in La Coruña
Oil spill in La Coruña, Spain (13/12/92 and 2/01/93). Source: ESA. Click twice on the image for a detailed view.
What can you say ?
a) after 3 weeks, the oil spill looks like it has almost disappeared compared to 13/12/92
b) after 3 weeks, the extend of the oil spill looks reduced and some of the oil has moved South
c) after 3 weeks, the extend of the oil spill looks bigger than on 13/12/92
d) after 3 weeks, the oil spill has moved away from the coast

10) Compare both images of the White River of Arkansas.
In April 2006, water levels were closer to normal. Highway 79 forms a thin white line through the forest (bright green area) and across the river into the small city of Clarendon. In April 2008, severe floods struck the region (dark blue and grey).
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White River
Details of the White River, USA (14/04/06 and 07/04/08). Source: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS/ASTER Science Team. Click twice on the image for a detailed view.
Look at the detailed 2008 image. Help the authorities and the insurance companies by telling them which parts are flooded :
a) the forest and the city of Clarendon are flooded
b) the city of Clarendon is safe but the bridges of the US 79 are flooded
c) the forest is flooded but the city of Clarendon is safe
d) the city of Clarendon is flooded but the bridges of the US 79 are not

11) What is phytoplankton ?
a) microscopic algae that can be toxic
b) the most abundant type of life found in the ocean
c) microscopic marine plants
d) all of the above

12) Under which conditions can a phytoplankton bloom occur ?
a) only under favourable light conditions
b) only under massive nutrients arrival
c) under favourable light conditions or under massive nutrients arrival
d) none of the above

13) Very high resolution satellites have a ground resolution of around a meter per pixel. Which of the following is not a very high resolution satellite ?
a) IKONOS
b) Quickbird
c) ASTER/Terra
d) Kompsat



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