Exam 3 Spring 2013 old test Flashcards
the general downhill movement of rock, soil, or unconsolidated materials under the influence of gravity
mass wasting
Permeability is the
ability of a solid to allow fluids to pass through
when looking at a coastal mountain range which area receives the most rain
the mountainside closest to the ocean
in a sand dune in a river, _____ occurs on the upstream side of the dune and ____ occurs on the downstream side of the dune
erosion; deposition
karst topography
does not have a normal river drainage system; forms in regions where subsurface limestone is dissolved by groundwater; contains sinkholes
when a meandering river has a portion of its stream cut off forming a horseshoe shaped lake
oxbow lake
as the velocity of a stream current increases
more of the bed material is in motion
What is the most common natural acid on the Earth’s surface?
carbonic acid
in the unsaturated zone, pore spaces in the soil and rock contain
air and water
in what type of rock do most caves form
limestone
where do deltas form
at river mouths
after oceans, which of the following reservoirs contains the most water
the glaciers and polar ice caps
which of the following grain sizes would a stream easily move while wind could not
pebble
what type of aquifer is bounded above and below by relatively impermeable beds
confined
long wavy sand ridges that lie perpendicular to the prevailing wind are called
transverse dunes
what type of drainage pattern is random
dendritic
what is a true statement about stream terraces
terraces are composed of floodplain deposits and form as a result of rapid uplift
which of the following minerals is most stable at the Earth’s surface
hematite (Fe2O3)
describes the total sediment load carried by a stream
capacity
which of the following is considered part of a stream’s bed load
gravel sliding along the bottom
which of the following minerals will have the greatest chemical stability
a mineral with low solubility and a low rate of dissolution
represents the boundary between the saturated zone and the unsaturated zone
groundwater table
the process by which surface water becomes groundwater
infiltration
what information do geologists use to estimate speeds of ancient rivers
grain size
which of the following processes only occurs in permafrost regions
solifluction
_____ is the infiltration of water into the saturated zone, and _____ is the exit of groundwater to the surface
recharge
discharge
geysers have ______ than regular hot springs
more irregular plumbing systems
which of the following slopes of unconsolidated material will be the least stable
a slope greater than the angle of repose
a curved, coarse-grained deposit that forms on the inside curve of a stream
point bar
describes the shape of the longitudinal profile of a stream
a concave upward curve
in which of the following locations would one most likely find a braided stream
at the edge of a melting glacier
which of the following has the steepest angle of repose
damp sand
an imaginary line below which a stream cannot erode is called
base level
as one goes deeper in the earth’s crust
the porosity decreases and the concentration of dissolved minerals increases
if the amount of discharge in an aquifer exceeds the amount of recharge, the groundwater table
will drop
which of the following conditions make for the bet groundwater reservoir
high permeability and high porosity
the region underneath the water table line is called the
saturated zone
the region above the water table line is called the
unsaturated zone
the lowering of the water table near the well is called a
cone of depression
what type of sandstone will have the lowest porosity
a poorly sorted, cemented sandstone
according to Darcy’s law, what kind of aquifer will have the greatest rate of groundwater flow
an aquifer with high hydraulic conductivity and a high hydraulic gradient
suspended load includes all material
temporarily or permanently suspended in the flow
in what class of mass movement does the material move as if it were in a fluid
flows
what is the discharge of a stream that is one meter deep, two meters wide, and has a water flow of five meters per second
10 m^3/sec
is the process whereby sand grains jump along the streambed during transport
saltation
layers that transmit groundwater are called
aquifers
in which of the following climates will chemical weathering be the slowest
cold and dry
physical weathering is greatest at
high latitudes
what type of environment yields quartz sand grains that are rounded and frosted
an eolian (desert) environment
large, cone-shaped deposits of sediment at a mountain front are called
alluvial fans
what powers the hydrologic cycle
solar energy
curves and bends in a stream channel are called
meanders
on a delta, smaller, multiple channels that branch off downstream are called
distributaries
the topographic rise that distinguishes two watersheds from one another is called a
divide
what type of drainage network would you expect to find on a volcano
radial drainage
soil type associated with rain forests and categorized by intense leaching of soil components
laterite
broad category of soil associated with a dry climate
pedocal
mechanical weathering process caused unloading as rocks expand when overlying rock layers are eroded away
exfoliation
soil horizon consisting of weathered mineral matter mixed with with some humus
A horizon
soil horizon consisting of loose and partly decayed organic matter
O horizon
soil horizon that consists of partially altered parent material
C horizon
mechanical weathering process caused by freeze-thaw cycles of water in cracks
frost wedging
calite (CaCO3) a major component of limestone chemically weathers by this process
dissolution
feldspar (KAlSi3O8) chemically weathers by this process
hydrolysis
broad category of soil associated with a moist temperate climate
pedalfer
quartz (SiO2) chemically weathers by this process
dissolution
soil zone of accumulation (mostly transported clays) also known as subsoil
B horizon
pyroxene (FeSiO3) chemically weathers by this process
oxidation
