Geology
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School
Yale University *
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Course
128
Subject
Geography
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
Pages
2
Uploaded by CountSteelTiger44
Summary questions
1.
(Ch. 13) What is the proportion of liquid (not frozen)
fresh
water on Earth expressed
as a percentage of all water on Earth?
Approximately 1% of the Earth's water is liquid fresh water.
2.
(Ch. 13) What percentage of that freshwater is groundwater?
Approximately 30% of the Earth's freshwater is groundwater.
3.
(Ch. 13) Where would you expect to find the fastest water flow on a straight stretch
of a stream?
The quickest current would be at the center, right below the surface, of a straight length.
4.
(Ch. 13) How would the gradient of a stream be affected if a meander is cut off?
A stream's gradient rises when a meander is severed because it becomes shorter.
5.
(Ch. 14) What is the difference between porosity and permeability?
Permeability is the speed at which water moves through interconnected pores in soil or rock,
whereas porosity is the percentage of voids or open areas in a volume of soil or rock.
6.
(Ch. 14) Both sand and clay deposits can have high porosity, but while most sand also
has high permeability, clay does not. Why not?
The tiny size of the clay pieces causes clay deposits to have low permeability.
7.
(Ch. 14) What is the main difference between natural and anthropogenic
contamination of groundwater?
The naturally occurring interactions between the aquifer's minerals and groundwater are the
source of natural groundwater contamination. Typically, human-sourced pollutants at or near the
surface that are permitted to flow into the aquifer are the source of anthropogenic groundwater
contamination.
8.
(Ch. 14) Why is a highly permeable aquifer more vulnerable to anthropogenic
contamination than a less permeable aquifer?
An aquifer that is extremely permeable allows water to spread contaminants more quickly than
one that is less permeable.
9.
(Ch. 14) How can a livestock operation lead to contamination of groundwater? What
is the most likely contaminant?
Because they contain a lot of nitrogen molecules, livestock manure frequently contaminates
groundwater with nitrates. Additionally, medications found in livestock manure have the
potential to contaminate groundwater.
10. (Ch. 14) Which mineral in the rock of a mining operation is typically responsible for
acid rock drainage?
Acid rock drainage is most likely caused by the mineral pyrite.
11. (Ch. 14) Why is it necessary to test the permeability of the soil before constructing a
septic field?
For the pollutants in septic fields to be broken down by natural processes, the wastewater must
slowly seep through the earth. Waste water may rise to the surface if the permeability is too low.
Overly high permeability has the potential to contaminate groundwater.
Reflection questions
1.
What is at least one important concept from this week's reading that is new to you?
The percentages of liquid freshwater was very shocking to me so I would consider that to be at
least one important concept that I learned through this week's readings.
2.
What concept(s) from this week's reading is(are) unclear or confusing?
I really enjoyed reading this week's concepts so I wouldn’t say that I have anything that was
unclear or confusing to me.
3.
How many hours did you spend on this week’s reading, including answering the
questions above?
I spent about two hours and possibly fifteen minutes on this week's readings and questions.
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