Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 35%

The Water Cycle
Water is needed to sustain practically all life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is composed of an oxygen atom that shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms.
The cycle starts when precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, descends from the sky onto the ground. Water that is not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in groundwater reservoirs, rivers, streams, and oceans.
Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants.
Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation ensues.

According to the passage, which statement is false?

Rationale

Puffy, cotton clouds are the result of a heating process.

The passage explains that puffy, cotton clouds are formed by condensation, which is a cooling process where water vapor changes back into liquid droplets. Thus, clouds are not the result of a heating process but rather the opposite.

A (Puffy, cotton clouds are the result of a heating process.) CORRECT

This statement is false because clouds are formed through condensation, a cooling process. As water vapor rises and cools, it condenses into liquid droplets, forming clouds. Heating would cause evaporation, not condensation.

B (The compound for a single drop of water is H2O.) YOUR ANSWER

This statement is true. Water is composed of molecules with the chemical formula H2O, indicating two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to one oxygen atom.

C (Lake water is produced as a result of the runoff.) YOUR ANSWER

This statement is true. The passage mentions that runoff from precipitation flows across the land and collects in bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans.

D (Water is an essential element for living things.) YOUR ANSWER

This statement is true. The passage explicitly states that water is needed to sustain practically all life functions on Earth, emphasizing its essential role for living organisms.

Conclusion

The passage clearly describes the processes involved in the water cycle, emphasizing that clouds form through condensation, which involves cooling, not heating. While water is indeed an essential compound for life and runoff contributes to the formation of lakes, the statement regarding clouds being formed by a heating process is false according to the passage. Understanding these processes highlights the critical roles of both evaporation and condensation within the water cycle.

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