VOLUME 1: AREA 2 (LAND AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING AND ALLIED SUBJECTS) (Objective Type Questions)

Question 1: The science which deals with the occurrence, distribution and disposal of water on the planet earth.

A) Hydrology

B) Hydrometeorology

C) Geology

D) Hydrogeology

Explanation: Hydrology is the primary science studying the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth.

Question 2: It is the vertical and horizontal movement of water as either vapor, liquid, or solid between the earth’s surface, subsurface, atmosphere, and oceans.

A) Water Cycle

B) Water Transfer Cycle

C) Hydrologic Cycle

D) All of the above

Explanation: All three terms are used interchangeably to describe the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Question 3: It is the lateral movement of water in the soil.

A) Seepage

B) Infiltration

C) Percolation

D) Runoff

Explanation: Seepage specifically refers to the slow lateral (horizontal) movement of water through soil pores or small openings.

Question 4: In which phases in the hydrologic cycle has the highest residence time of water?

A) Antarctic ice

B) Groundwater

C) Glaciers

D) Atmospheric water

Explanation: Deep ice sheets in Antarctica can hold water for hundreds of thousands of years, significantly longer than the atmosphere or rivers.

Question 5: Percentage of earth covered by oceans is?

A) 31%

B) 51%

C) 71%

D) 97%

Explanation: Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is water-covered, with the oceans holding about 96.5% of all Earth's water.

Question 6: Percentage of total quantity of water in the world that is saline is about?

A) 71%

B) 33%

C) 67%

D) 97%

Explanation: Roughly 97% of Earth's water is salt water found in oceans and seas, while only 3% is freshwater.

Question 7: In the hydrological cycle, which statement about average residence time is true?

A) Atmospheric moisture is larger than global rivers

B) Oceans is smaller than global groundwater

C) Rivers is larger than global groundwater

D) Oceans is larger than global groundwater

Explanation: Based on standard hydrological data, the turnover rate and volume of deep groundwater can exceed the residence time of ocean water in certain cycles.

Question 8: An area that topographically appears to contribute all the water that passes through a specified cross section of a stream.

A) Watershed

B) Catchment area

C) Drainage basin

D) All of the above

Explanation: Watershed, catchment, and drainage basin are all synonyms for an area of land where all water drains to a common outlet.

Question 9: Portion of the precipitation that makes way towards stream channels, lakes, oceans as surface or subsurface flow.

A) Streamflow

B) Runoff

C) Infiltration

D) Seepage

Explanation: Runoff is the term for water from rain or snow that flows over the land surface or through the subsurface to reach water bodies.

Question 10: Base flow is also called as?

A) Groundwater flow

B) Interflow

C) Overland flow

D) Superfluous water

Explanation: Base flow is the portion of streamflow that comes from groundwater seepage into the channel.

Question 11: It provides the relationship between stream stage and discharge.

A) Stage

B) Hydrograph

C) Rating curve

D) Unit hydrograph

Explanation: A rating curve is a graph or equation showing the relationship between water height (stage) and the volume of water flowing (discharge).

Question 12: In a watershed, which of the following is true?

A) Faster peak flows in flat watersheds

B) Faster time to peak in elongated watersheds

C) Longer time to peak in dense drainage

D) Larger watershed produces larger runoff than smaller watershed

Explanation: Generally, the total volume of runoff is proportional to the size of the drainage area, assuming similar rainfall and soil conditions.

Question 13: A graduated scale placed so that the stage of a stream may be read directly.

A) Staff gauge

B) Current meter

C) Wire-weight gauge

D) Measuring stick

Explanation: A staff gauge is a simple ruler-like scale fixed in a stream for manual water level (stage) observation.

Question 14: Graphical representation of runoff rate over time.

A) Unit hydrograph

B) Rating curve

C) Log-probability graph

D) Hydrograph

Explanation: A hydrograph plots discharge (flow rate) versus time for a specific point in a river or channel.

Question 15: Hydrograph is made of?

A) Direct runoff only

B) Overland flow, interflow and base flow

C) Interflow and base flow

D) Direct runoff and interflow

Explanation: A total hydrograph represents the combined volume of surface runoff (overland), lateral flow in the soil (interflow), and groundwater (base flow).

Question 16: Direct runoff hydrograph from a unit excess precipitation that occurs uniformly over a basin.

A) Streamflow hydrograph

B) Total hydrograph

C) Unit hydrograph

D) Hydrograph

Explanation: By definition, a Unit Hydrograph results from exactly 1 unit (e.g., 1 inch or 1 cm) of excess rainfall.

Question 17: Unit hydrograph is made of?

A) Direct runoff only

B) Overland flow, interflow and base flow

C) Interflow and base flow

D) Direct runoff and interflow

Explanation: In unit hydrograph theory, base flow is separated out, so it only represents the direct runoff portion.

Question 18: A chart or function describing the temporal distribution of precipitation during a storm event.

A) Hyetograph

B) Hydrograph

C) Hodograph

D) None of the above

Explanation: A hyetograph is a graph of rainfall intensity over time.

Question 19: The science and practice of water flow measurement is?

A) Hypsometry

B) Fluvimetry

C) Hydro-meteorology

D) Hydrometry

Explanation: Hydrometry is the branch of science dealing with the measurement of the components of the hydrological cycle, specifically flow and water levels.

Question 20: The following is not a direct stream flow determination technique?

A) Dilution method

B) Ultrasonic method

C) Area-velocity method

D) Slope-area method

Explanation: The slope-area method is an indirect method used to estimate peak discharge after a flood event based on high-water marks.

Question 21: Direct runoff is composed of?

A) Surface runoff, prompt interflow and channel precipitation

B) Surface runoff, infiltration and evapotranspiration

C) Overland flow and infiltration

D) Rainfall and evaporation

Explanation: Direct runoff includes all water that reaches the stream quickly, including surface water and immediate subsurface interflow.

Question 22: The term base flow denotes?

A) Delayed groundwater flow reaching a stream

B) Delayed groundwater flow and snowmelt reaching a stream

C) Delayed groundwater and interflow

D) Annual minimum flow in a stream

Explanation: Base flow is the sustained "fair weather" flow of a stream, supplied by groundwater discharge.

Question 23: An intermittent stream?

A) Has water table above stream bed year round

B) Has only flash flows

C) Has flows during wet season due to groundwater

D) No groundwater contribution

Explanation: Intermittent streams flow only at certain times of the year when they receive water from springs or from surface sources.

Question 24: Basin having low drainage density give?

A) Smaller peaks in flood hydrograph

B) Large drainage densities give smaller peaks

C) Shorter time bases

D) Independent of density

Explanation: Low drainage density means there are fewer channels to collect water quickly, resulting in more infiltration and slower, smaller flood peaks.

Question 25: A unit hydrograph has one unit of?

A) Peak discharge

B) Direct runoff

C) Rainfall duration

D) Time base

Explanation: A unit hydrograph is defined as the discharge over time resulting from one unit (1cm or 1in) of depth of direct runoff.

Question 26: Groundwater is also known as?

A) Water table

B) Saturated zone

C) Vadose zone

D) Phreatic water

Explanation: Phreatic water refers specifically to water in the zone of saturation.

Question 27: A rise in a liquid above the level of zero pressure due to attraction of water molecules to a solid surface.

A) Surface tension

B) Capillary rise

C) Upwelling

D) Down welling

Explanation: Capillary action occurs because water molecules are attracted to soil particles, pulling water upward against gravity.

Question 28: A water bearing geologic formation capable of transmitting water for economic extraction.

A) Aquiclude

B) Aquifer

C) Aquifuge

D) Aquitard

Explanation: An aquifer is both porous and permeable enough to provide usable quantities of water to a well or spring.

Question 29: Geologic formation arranged in decreasing economic considerations.

A) Aquifer, Aquiclude, Aquitard, Aquifuge

B) Aquifer, Aquitard, Aquiclude, Aquifuge

C) Aquifer, Aquifuge, Aquiclude, Aquitard

D) Aquifuge, Aquiclude, Aquitard, Aquifer

Explanation: Economic value is based on the ability to store and transmit water; Aquifers are highest, while Aquifuges (no storage/no transmission) are lowest.

Question 30: Well drilled into an artesian aquifer and water rises above the ground like a spring.

A) Free flowing well

B) Non-free flowing well

C) Water table wells

D) Shallow well

Explanation: When the pressure in a confined (artesian) aquifer is high enough to push water above the land surface, it is "free-flowing."

Question 31: Measures the water bearing capacity of a geologic formation.

A) Porosity

B) Void ratio

C) Specific retention

D) Specific yield

Explanation: Porosity is the ratio of the volume of voids (pores) to the total volume, indicating how much water the material can hold.

Question 32: The percentage volume of water of an aquifer which will not drain by gravity.

A) Specific retention

B) Specific yield

C) Storage coefficient

D) Transmissibility

Explanation: Specific retention is the amount of water held by soil particles through molecular attraction after gravity drainage has occurred.

Question 33: Volume of water an aquifer releases or takes into storage per unit surface area per unit change in head.

A) Specific retention

B) Specific yield

C) Storage coefficient

D) Transmissibility

Explanation: Storage coefficient (or storativity) describes the capacity of an aquifer to release water from storage.

Question 34: A stream that provides water to the water table is termed?

A) Affluent

B) Influent

C) Ephemeral

D) Effluent

Explanation: Influent (losing) streams flow above the water table and leak water into the ground.

Question 35: Surface joining the static water levels in several wells penetrating a confined aquifer.

A) Water table surface

B) Piezometric surface

C) Capilliary fringe

D) Cone of depression

Explanation: The piezometric (potentiometric) surface is an imaginary surface representing the pressure head of groundwater in a confined aquifer.

Question 36: Flowing artesian wells are expected in areas where?

A) Water table is close to surface

B) Aquifer is confined

C) Elevation of piezometric head is above ground surface

D) Rainfall is intense

Explanation: If the pressure level (piezometric head) is higher than the ground, water will naturally flow out of the well without pumping.

Question 37: Water present in artesian aquifer is usually?

A) At sub atmospheric pressure

B) At atmospheric pressure

C) 0.5 times atmospheric pressure

D) Above atmospheric pressure

Explanation: Artesian aquifers are confined under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.

Question 38: Volume of water that can be extracted by force of gravity from a unit volume of aquifer.

A) Specific retention

B) Specific storage

C) Specific yield

D) Specific capacity

Explanation: Specific yield is the ratio of water that will drain by gravity to the total volume of the soil/rock.

Question 39: Which pair of terms used in groundwater hydrology are not synonymous?

A) Permeability and hydraulic conductivity

B) Actual velocity of flow and discharge velocity

C) Water table and unconfined aquifer

D) Storage coefficient and storativity

Explanation: Discharge velocity is a "bulk" velocity, while actual velocity is faster as water must travel through small pore spaces (calculated as discharge velocity / porosity).

Question 40: Darcy’s law Reynolds number is defined as?

A) (v_d * grain_max)/μ

B) (v_a * grain_avg)/μ

C) (v_d * grain_avg)/μ

D) (v_d * pore_size)/μ

Explanation: In groundwater, Reynolds number uses the discharge velocity and the average grain diameter as the characteristic length.

Question 41: Flow capacity of an aquifer per unit width under unit hydraulic gradient.

A) Specific retention

B) Specific yield

C) Storage capacity

D) Transmissibility

Explanation: Transmissibility (T = Kb) is the rate at which water is transmitted through a unit width of an aquifer under a unit hydraulic gradient.

Question 42: Maximum sustained winds are?

A) 10-min average measured 10m above ground

B) 3-sec average measured 10m above ground

C) 10-min average measured 2m above ground

D) 3-min average measured 2m above ground

Explanation: WMO standard for maximum sustained wind is the highest 10-minute average wind speed at a 10m height.

Question 43: Specific capacity of a well is?

A) Gravity extraction volume

B) Discharge per unit drawdown at the well

C) Drawdown per unit discharge

D) Flow through unit width

Explanation: Specific Capacity (Q/s) is a measure of well performance, indicating how much water is produced for every foot/meter of water level drop.

Question 44: Maximum head of shallow wells?

A) 6m

B) 12m

C) 18m

D) 15m

Explanation: Shallow wells typically rely on suction lift, which is physically limited to around 6-8 meters (atmospheric pressure limit).

Question 45: Overall instantaneous condition of the atmosphere at a certain place and time.

A) Climate

B) Climatology

C) Weather

D) Hydrometeorology

Explanation: Weather is short-term; Climate is the long-term average of weather patterns.

Question 46: Layer of the atmosphere where all weather occurs.

A) Troposphere

B) Stratosphere

C) Mesosphere

D) Thermosphere

Explanation: The troposphere contains about 75-80% of the atmosphere's mass and almost all its water vapor, making it the seat of weather.

Question 47: Temperature at which saturation occurs.

A) Dew point

B) Dry-bulb

C) Wet bulb

D) Average

Explanation: Dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor.

Question 48: Light steady rain in fine drops < 0.5 mm in size.

A) Drizzle

B) Hail

C) Dew

D) Rain

Explanation: Drizzle is characterized by very small drop sizes and low intensity, often reducing visibility.

Question 49: A tropical cyclone is a?

A) Low-pressure area in N. hemisphere only

B) High-pressure area

C) Clockwise winds in N. hemisphere

D) Low pressure area with anticlockwise winds in N. hemisphere

Explanation: Due to the Coriolis effect, low-pressure systems rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 50: Orographic precipitation occurs due to?

A) Density difference

B) Front action

C) Presence of mountain barriers

D) Extratropical cyclones

Explanation: Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain.

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