Chapter 9 Flashcards

1
Q

__________ is not part of the hydrologic cycle?
A) Water evaporating from a lake
B) Water moving into creeks and streams following a rainstorm
C) Calcium carbonate dissolving in soil water and groundwater
D Water infiltrating into the soil and bedrock

A

Calcium carbonate dissolving in soil water and groundwater.

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2
Q

Which one of the following statements is correct?
A) Sea level drops when water is stored in expanding ice sheets and continental glaciers.
B) Sea level rises when water is added to the oceans through increased rainfall and increased inflow from rivers.
Incorrect Response
C) Sea level rises when water is stored in expanding ice sheets and continental glaciers.
D) Sea level drops when evaporation rates increase over the oceans and when this extra, atmospheric moisture falls on land as rain.

A

Sea level drops when water is stored in expanding ice sheets and continental glaciers.

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3
Q
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ are components of the hydrologic cycle that release water vapor directly to the atmosphere.
A) Discharge and transportation
B) Precipitation and runoff
C) Evaporation and transpiration
D) Runoff and infiltration
A

Evaporation and transpiration

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4
Q
The \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ river has the largest discharge of any in the world.
Correct Response		
A) Amazon
B Mississippi
C) Congo
D) Nile
A

Amazon

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5
Q

Which of the following is the correct definition of stream gradient?
A) the water pressure at the bottom of the stream divided by the stream’s width
B) the distance traveled by water in a channel times a drop in elevation
C) the drop in elevation of a stream divided by the distance the water travels
D) the increase in discharge of a stream per unit drop in elevation

A

the drop in elevation of a stream divided by the distance the water travels

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6
Q
All of the following increase downstream except:
A) discharge	
B) gradient		
C) velocity
D) channel size
A

gradient

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7
Q
Which of the following must result in a lower base level for rivers and streams?
A) sea level rises; land rises
B) sea level rises; land subsides
C) sea level drops; land subsides	
D) sea level falls; land rises
A

sea level falls; land rises

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8
Q
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ describes the total sediment load transported by a stream.
A) Hydro-load factor
B) Discharge
C) Competence	
D) Capacity
A

Capacity

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9
Q
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ describes the particle transport mode in streams intermediate between suspension and rolling along the bottom?
A) Alluviation
B) Siltation	
C) Saltation
D) Impact leaping
A

Saltation

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10
Q

Which one of the following statements correctly describes how stream terraces can form?
A) Base level rises; the stream downcuts, and the old floodplain is left well above the elevation of the present-day channel.
B) A temporary base level is eliminated; the stream aggrades its channel upstream from the old temporary base level, and the former floodplain is left well above the present elevation of the stream.
C) Base level drops; the stream aggrades its channel, and the former floodplain is left below the present elevation of the stream.
D) A temporary base level is eliminated; the stream downcuts upstream from the old temporary base level, and the former floodplain is left well above the present elevation of the stream.

A

A temporary base level is eliminated; the stream downcuts upstream from the old temporary base level, and the former floodplain is left well above the present elevation of the stream.

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11
Q

A dam and reservoir are constructed on a river. What will happen?
A) Channel downcutting upstream and downstream from the dam.
B) Channel downcutting upstream from the dam; deposition below.
C) Deposition upstream and downstream from the dam.
D) Deposition upstream from the dam; channel downcutting below.

A

Deposition upstream from the dam; channel downcutting below.

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12
Q

Which one of the following would cause stream rejuvenation?
A) sea level rises
B) when unstable distributaries in a delta are abandoned
C) a shift from downcutting to lateral cutting
D) the land is uplifted

A

the land is uplifted

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13
Q

Entrenched meanders are evidence for what sequence of geologic events?
A) Lateral cutting by streams was followed by subsidence of the land.
B) A sea level rise was followed by stream downcutting.
C) Land uplift was followed by stream downcutting.
D) Stream downcutting was followed by a rise in base level.

A

Land uplift was followed by stream downcutting.

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14
Q
At the head of a delta, the major channel splits into smaller channels that follow different paths to the sea. These smaller channels are known as \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
A) cotributaries
B) endotributaries	
C) distributaries
D) exotributaries
A

distributaries

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15
Q
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is an abandoned, cutoff, meander loop.
A) A builtrail
B) An oxbow
C) A gatorback
D) A cowhock
A

An oxbow

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16
Q
Horseshoe lake in Alexander County, Illinois (look it up) is an example of:
Incorrect Response		
A) a cow hock
B) a builtrail		
C) an oxbow
D) a hogback
A

an oxbow

17
Q

__________ are characteristics of downcutting streams and a youthful stage of valley evolution.
A) Rapids and lots of whitewater
B) Meandering channels and natural levees
C) Wide floodplains
D) A U-shaped, cross-valley profiles

A

Rapids and lots of whitewater

18
Q
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ generally constitutes the highest percentage of the annual sediment load moved by a stream.
A) Bed load
B) Saltation load
C) Dissolved load
D) Suspended load
A

Suspended load

19
Q

Where is erosion concentrated along a meandering stream?
A) at the unconsolidated point bars
B) on the inner banks of the meander loops
C) on the straight channel segments that connect the meander loops
D) on the outer parts of the meander loops or bends

A

on the outer parts of the meander loops or bends

20
Q

Which one of the following statements is true concerning natural levees?
A) Mostly fine sand and silt that build up during floods.
B) Depositional features formed at times of low discharge.
C) Form the high, steep banks of a downcutting stream.
D) Erosional features left behind when meander cutoff occurs.

A

Mostly fine sand and silt that build up during floods.

21
Q
Which of the following features characterize wide streams and valleys?
A) V-shaped valley cross-sections		
B) natural levees; broad floodplains
C) waterfalls; entrenched meanders
D) rapids; channel bed potholes
A

natural levees; broad floodplains

22
Q

Which of the following is the only correct response concerning the location and causes of the extraordinarily severe, 1993, flooding on the Mississippi River and tributaries?
A) upper basin; very heavy, sustained rainfall in the late spring and early summer
B) upper basin; rapid melting of an unusually deep snow pack in early spring
C) lower basin; very heavy, late summer rains associated with a severe hurricane
D) lower basin; heavy rains in late spring and early summer

A

upper basin; very heavy, sustained rainfall in the late spring and early summer

23
Q

Your community decides to build a levee to hold the “100 year flood”. What does this mean?
Incorrect Response
A) you can expect a flood of this size every 100 years
B) you are safe, it will hold any flood
C) the probability of a flood of this size is 1 in 100
D) it will hold a discharge that does not exceed 100 ft3/s

A

the probability of a flood of this size is 1 in 100

24
Q

How does urbanization (paving, etc.) affect runoff and infiltration in a small, previously forested, drainage basin?
A) both decrease
B) both increase
C) runoff decreases; infiltration increases
D) infiltration decreases; runoff increases

A

infiltration decreases; runoff increases

25
Q

Alluvial fans develop at unusual locations where stream gradients abruptly increase for a short distance.
1) True 2) False

A

False

26
Q

Alluvium refers to stream deposits, mainly sand and gravel.

1) True 2) False

A

True

27
Q

The lowest base level for most streams is sea level.

1) True 2) False

A

True

28
Q

Lateral cutting and deposition are important factors in floodplain development.
1) True 2) False

A

True

29
Q

Natural levees are constructed of machine-compacted sand and mud; artificial levees are made of concrete.
1) True 2) False

A

False

30
Q

Point bars are depositional features located along the outer portions of meander bends.
1) True 2) False

A

False

31
Q

Stream discharge is defined as the quantity of water flowing past a specific channel location per unit time.
1) True 2) False

A

True

32
Q

The lowermost distal portion of the modern Mississippi Delta is a typical bird-foot delta.
1) True 2) False

A

True