Chapter 6 Running Water and Groundwater Flashcards
The water cycle is the
unending circulation of Earth’s water supply.
Balance in the water cycle means that
the average annual precipitation over Earth equals the
amount of water that evaporates.
The ability of a stream to erode and transport material
depends largely on its
velocity.
A stream’s discharge
increases between its source and mouth.
Base level is
the lowest point to which a stream can erode its channel.
Most streams carry the largest part of their load
in suspension.
A depositional feature that forms where a stream enters a
lake or an ocean is a
delta.
The most prominent features of a narrow V-shaped valley
where the stream profile drops quickly are
rapids and waterfalls.
A floodplain forms where a stream
cuts mainly side to side.
One major cause of floods is
rapid spring snowmelt.
Limiting development on floodplains is effective because it
allows floodplains to absorb floodwaters with little harm
to structures.
A drainage basin is
the land that contributes water to a stream.
Groundwater is found underground in the zone of
saturation.
Springs form where
the water table intersects the ground surface.
Permeable rock layers or sediments that freely transmit
groundwater are
aquifers.
Which of the following is NOT a major source of groundwater pollution? a. sewage b. compost c. pesticides d. industrial chemicals
b. compost
A cavern is an underground chamber formed by
erosion.
Which of these landforms is NOT common in an area of karst topography? a. sinkhole b. stalagmite c. cavern d. canyon
d. canyon
Which type of rock usually underlies a karst landscape?
limestone
Sinkholes can form when
rainwater containing carbon dioxide dissolves
underground rock.
The water cycle gets its energy from the
Sun
Most of Earth’s water is contained in its
oceans
Most freshwater on Earth is in
glaciers.
Groundwater makes up __________ percent of Earth’s
water.
0.62
In order to maintain Earth’s water balance, evaporation exceeds
precipitation over __________, but precipitation exceeds
evaporation over __________.
oceans
land or continents
The factors that determine the velocity of a stream are its
__________, __________, and the shape, size,
and roughness of its channel.
gradient
discharge
The stream __________ is the course the water in the
stream follows.
channel
The volume of water flowing past a certain point in a given unit
of time is the stream’s __________.
discharge
Streams erode their channels by abrasion, __________,
and by dissolving soluble material.
grinding
A stream’s __________ load is the part of its load that
it carries in solution.
dissolved
Streams that flow over floodplains often move in wide curves
called __________.
meanders
The ability of a stream to carry a load is determined by its
__________.
capacity
Artificial levees and dams are structures used to control
__________.
flooding
An imaginary line called a(n) __________separates the
drainage basin of one stream from another.
divide
An intermittent hot spring in which a column of water shoots up
with great force at various intervals is a(n) __________.
geyser
A(n) __________ well is one in which groundwater rises
on its own under pressure.
artesian
Ions of calcium and iron that move from adjacent rock into
groundwater can make the water __________ and
unable to form soapsuds.
hard
Caverns form at or below the water table in the zone of saturation,
but dripstone features in caverns form above the water table in the
zone of __________.
aeration
