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AP Environmental Science Practice Quiz: The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 9 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 9

What is the primary energy source that drives the hydrologic cycle?

All Questions (9)

What is the primary energy source that drives the hydrologic cycle?

A) Geothermal heat from Earth's core

B) The sun

C) Wind patterns

D) The gravitational pull of the moon

Correct Answer: B

The provided content explicitly states that the hydrologic cycle is 'powered by the sun'.

According to the provided information, which of the following is the primary reservoir of water on Earth?

A) Groundwater

B) Ice caps

C) The oceans

D) The atmosphere

Correct Answer: C

The text clearly identifies that 'The oceans are the primary reservoir of water'.

The hydrologic cycle involves the movement of water in which of its various phases?

A) Liquid and gaseous only

B) Solid and liquid only

C) Solid, liquid, and gaseous

D) Gaseous only

Correct Answer: C

The content specifies that the cycle is 'the movement of water in its various solid, liquid, and gaseous phases'.

Which statement best describes the relationship between Earth's water reservoirs as presented in the text?

A) Groundwater and ice caps combined hold more water than the oceans.

B) The oceans are the main water reservoir, with ice caps and groundwater being much smaller.

C) Ice caps are the primary reservoir, followed by the oceans and then groundwater.

D) All water reservoirs on Earth are approximately equal in size.

Correct Answer: B

The text states, 'The oceans are the primary reservoir of water, with ice caps and groundwater as much smaller reservoirs.'

The hydrologic cycle is best defined as the movement of water between which two components?

A) High and low pressure systems

B) Plants and animals

C) The atmosphere and the lithosphere

D) Sources and sinks

Correct Answer: D

The provided text defines the hydrologic cycle as the movement of water 'between sources and sinks'.

Based on the provided text, all of the following are accurate statements about the hydrologic cycle EXCEPT:

A) The sun provides the energy for water to move through the cycle.

B) Groundwater is considered a primary reservoir of water, larger than the oceans.

C) Water can exist in solid form within the cycle.

D) The oceans are the largest single reservoir of water.

Correct Answer: B

The text explicitly states that groundwater is a 'much smaller' reservoir compared to the oceans, which are the primary reservoir. Therefore, the statement that groundwater is a primary reservoir larger than the oceans is incorrect.

Which of the following lists contains only water reservoirs that are explicitly mentioned in the provided text?

A) Oceans, rivers, lakes

B) Ice caps, groundwater, oceans

C) Atmosphere, soil moisture, groundwater

D) Glaciers, oceans, rivers

Correct Answer: B

The text specifically names three reservoirs: 'The oceans...ice caps and groundwater'. The other options include reservoirs not mentioned in the provided content.

A student claims that the amount of water in ice caps is greater than the amount of water in the oceans. Which piece of evidence from the text contradicts this claim?

A) The hydrologic cycle is powered by the sun.

B) Water moves in solid, liquid, and gaseous phases.

C) The oceans are the primary reservoir of water.

D) The cycle involves interactions between sources and sinks.

Correct Answer: C

The claim is contradicted by the statement that 'The oceans are the primary reservoir of water,' which implies they are the largest. The text further supports this by calling ice caps 'much smaller reservoirs.'

The movement of water from the oceans to the atmosphere and eventually into groundwater reservoirs is part of a process that is fundamentally driven by what?

A) Solar energy

B) Nuclear fission

C) Lunar cycles

D) Plate tectonics

Correct Answer: A

The text identifies the driving force for the entire hydrologic cycle, which includes movement between all reservoirs, as the sun. Solar energy is energy from the sun.