1.
Read the few paragraphs on water bottles. This should be enlightening. Apprxoimately what percentage of bottled water purchased inthe United States is contaminated with bacteria?
Correct Answer
C. 33%
Explanation
Approximately 33% of bottled water purchased in the United States is contaminated with bacteria. This means that a significant portion of bottled water is not safe for consumption due to bacterial contamination. It is important to be aware of this fact and take necessary precautions while consuming bottled water.
2.
Who said the following - "It is a hard truth to swallow, but nature does not care if we live or die. We cannot survive without the oceans, for example, but they can do just fine without us"
Correct Answer
E. Roger Rosenblatt
3.
Red the Section entitled How is the Quality of Drinking Water Protected. Again this should be very shocking to you. There are actually politicians and lobbyists that are pressuring the EPA to eliminate national tests of drinking water and allowing states to give drinking water systems a permanent right to violate the standard for a given contaminant if the proivder claims it cannot afford to comply. Of course this is all done in the name of jobs and the economy. Can you believe that current laws allow fixtures with up to 10% lead to be sold as lead-free!!!!!!!!!!! People could be poisoning their children without even knowing it! What is the name of the legislation that requries the EPA to establish national drinking water standards, called meximum contaminant levels, for any pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health?
Correct Answer
A. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
Explanation
The legislation that requires the EPA to establish national drinking water standards, called maximum contaminant levels, for any pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health is the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. This act ensures that the quality of drinking water is protected and regulated to prevent any potential harm to human health.
4.
Read the section entitled "How Can We treat Sewage by Working with Nature". Using plants to clean water is the natural water purification system. This is one of the major concerns with the loss of most of the wetlands in the United States (most people would rather not live in a swamp or marsh). The wastewater graden pictured in the book was developed where?
Correct Answer
B. BiospHere 2
Explanation
The correct answer is Biosphere 2. The section mentioned in the question talks about using plants to clean water, which is a natural water purification system. Biosphere 2 is a research facility in Arizona that includes a controlled environment with various ecosystems, including wetlands. It is known for its experiments in sustainable living and ecological restoration, making it a suitable place for the development of a wastewater garden.
5.
Read pages 494 and 495 carefully. These pages outline the process used to clean all of the water in Fort Worth and we will get to see this in action on our field trip to the Village Creek Wastewater treatment plant in February. Which of the following stages of treatment would remove the biodegradable material?
Correct Answer
B. Secondary Sewage Treatment
Explanation
The correct answer is Secondary Sewage Treatment. This stage of treatment focuses on removing dissolved and suspended organic matter, including biodegradable materials, from the wastewater. It involves processes such as activated sludge treatment, where microorganisms break down the organic matter, and sedimentation, where the solids settle out of the wastewater. This helps to reduce the organic load in the water before it moves on to further treatment stages.
6.
In a wastewater treatment plant which of the following stages of treatment would remove a bicycle tire that somehow made it into the sewer system. (the plant in Arlington said they occasionally get tires and once even a dead horse - how do you flush a dead horse down the drain?).
Correct Answer
A. Primary Sewage Treatment
Explanation
In a wastewater treatment plant, the primary sewage treatment stage would remove a bicycle tire that somehow made it into the sewer system. This stage involves physical processes such as screening and sedimentation to remove large objects and solid materials from the wastewater. The bicycle tire would be caught in the screens or settle in the sedimentation tanks, allowing it to be removed before the wastewater progresses to the secondary and tertiary treatment stages.
7.
How do folks that live out in the country clean their sewage?
Correct Answer
D. Septic tanks
Explanation
Folks that live out in the country often clean their sewage using septic tanks. A septic tank is an underground chamber that collects and treats wastewater from a household. It works by allowing solid waste to settle at the bottom while the liquid waste flows out through an outlet pipe. The solid waste undergoes a natural decomposition process over time. This system is commonly used in rural areas where there is no access to a centralized sewage system.
8.
What is the term for lakes that are extremely high in nutrients (usually due to fertilizer runoff)?
Correct Answer
A. EutropHic
Explanation
Eutrophic lakes are characterized by having high levels of nutrients, typically caused by the runoff of fertilizers. This excessive nutrient load leads to an overgrowth of algae and other aquatic plants, resulting in decreased oxygen levels and reduced biodiversity. This process is known as eutrophication.
9.
Most people are oblivious to the fact that anything dumped on the streat or a sidewalk eventually ends up in the Trinity River (and our drinking water). For example if your Hummer is leaking oil, or you throw a piece of trash on the ground. When it rains these go down the storm drains and the storm drains empty into the creeks that feed the Trinity. Have you ever walk along the trinity after a rain? Look at figure 19-11 to see what pollution sources the Trinity river has (this figure could apply to any major city). Which of the following is the term for excess nitrogen causes explosive growth of toxic microscopic algae, poisoning fish and maring mammals?
Correct Answer
A. Red tides
Explanation
The correct term for excess nitrogen causing explosive growth of toxic microscopic algae, poisoning fish and marine mammals is "red tides". Red tides are harmful algal blooms that occur when certain species of algae multiply rapidly and produce toxins. These toxins can be harmful to marine life and can also affect human health if contaminated seafood is consumed.
10.
Study Figure 9-9. This is how ground water is polluted. Which of the following is NOT one of the sources of ground pollution shown in the figure?
Correct Answer
C. Acid rain
Explanation
The figure illustrates various sources of groundwater pollution, including road salt, mining sites, and landfills. However, acid rain is not shown as one of the sources of pollution. Acid rain refers to the deposition of acidic components from the atmosphere onto the Earth's surface, including bodies of water. While acid rain can contribute to water pollution, it is not specifically depicted in the given figure.
11.
Look at table 19-1. These are the major categories of Water Pollutants. Which type of pollution can cause genetic mutations, miscarriages, birth defects and cancers?
Correct Answer
D. Radioactive Materials
Explanation
Radioactive materials can cause genetic mutations, miscarriages, birth defects, and cancers. Radioactive substances emit ionizing radiation, which can damage DNA and disrupt cellular processes. This damage can lead to mutations in genes, affecting the normal development of an organism and increasing the risk of miscarriages, birth defects, and cancers.
12.
Look at figure 19-3. THere is a perfect example of this figure just down the road. The Fort Worth Zoo has a creek that runs through it and feeds directly into the Trinity River. When an elephant uses the restroom (or any other large mammal outside) the waste is hosed down the drains by the animal keepers and the drains go straight into zoo creek. Also any chemicals used in cleaning, and any left over food the animals didn't eat. As zoo creek enters the trinity river it is the equivalent of the point of waste or heat discharge on the bottom of Figure 19-3. Which of the zones mentioned on top of the figure would be expected at the bridge on University that goes over the Trinity (by Hoffbraue)?
Hint: the river flows southeast.
Correct Answer
D. Clean zone
Explanation
The correct answer is the "clean zone" because the description states that the waste and chemicals from the Fort Worth Zoo are hosed down the drains and flow directly into the zoo creek, which eventually enters the Trinity River. Therefore, at the bridge on University that goes over the Trinity River, it would be expected to be in the clean zone, as this is the area where the waste and pollutants have not yet entered the river and the water is relatively clean.
13.
Read the case study on page 486 and answer the critical thinking with at least 3 sentences.