Surface Processes Flashcards
what factors affect the rate of weathering
climate, exposed surface area, mineral composition
how are sediments deposited
sorted sediments, unsorted sediments
sorted sediments
when larger, more dense, rounder particles settle out first
unsorted sediments
when sediments drop out in no particular order (all mixed up)
mass movement
downhill movement of rock or sediment without being carried by wind, water, or ice, caused directly by the force of gravity
sandbar
a collection of sand that points like a finger. tells you direction waves are travelling
watershed
the geographic area drained by a particular river or stream (drainage basin)
solution
sediments are dissolved
suspension
sediments remained mixed in with the water for a long time
traction
sediments roll on the stream bed
as velocity increases, the size of the particle transported __________
increases
what factors affect stream velocity
stream gradient (slope), stream discharge
stream gradient
steepness of land stream flows down
stream discharge
the volume of water flowing past a fixed point in a given period of time
v-shaped valley
running water erodes land in a v shape
meanders
a stream with curves that develop when a stream flows over relatively flat land
oxbow lake
a u-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free standing body of water
levee
streams in broad valleys sometimes flood and leave deposits of sand and silt on the land bordering and parallel to the streams
how to streams change over time?
younger streams have a steep slope, fast moving, straight channel and v-shaped valley
older streams are flat land, slow moving, high deposition, and meanders
continental glacier
glaciers that form at high latitudes and flow outward to cover a large part of a continent
valley glacier
glaciers that form at high elevations when ice flows downhill as snow accumulates and changes to ice
striations
parallel scratches on bedrock
till
unsorted, unlayered glacial sediments that are deposited directly by a glacier
moraine
a hill of till deposited directly from an edge or bottom of a glacier
outwash plain
horizontal sorted layers of glacial material in front of the glacier, formed by the meltwater of the glacier
drumlin
glacial hills of unsorted, unlayered sediment that are shaped like the bark of a spoon by the ice
indicates the direction of glacial movement
kettle lake
when blocks of ice are left behind, form a depression, and melt
erratic
rocks that have been transported to an area (type of rock not normally found in that area)
new york state finger lakes
lakes that fill in long, deep, u-shaped valleys
indicated direction of glacial movement
what are the great lakes
glaciers carried out the bedrock and melt waters filled the basins
lakes contain approximately 20% of the worlds fresh surface water
what are the conditions that chemical weathering
warmer, more precipitation
groins will cause beaches to widen on _______
the opposite side
what causes landslides
gravity and saturated soil
the average stream velocity is controlled primarily by the
slope of the land
the approximate stream velocity to transport the smallest particles of sand
0.3 cm/s
what characteristics of a shoreline do jetty’s change overtime
the size of beaches
drumlins
composed of loose sediments and unsorted
floodplain
the relatively flat area along both sides of streams that will fill with water when streams overflow their banks
why do kettle-hole lakes form
as a result of a block of ice that detatched from a glacier and when the ice melts it forms a depression filled with ground water
how to oxbow lakes form
erosion along the outside banks of a curve in a meandering stream
where is the greatest stream velocity
outside of the curve
where is the greatest stream erosion
outside of the curve
when a stream carrying sediment empties into any large body of water ______
the stream velocity decreases
the increases in velocity are indicated by the change in
stream discharge
large solitary boulders are the result of
glacial ice
deposition occurs when the velocity of rivers ______
decreases
drumlin
reworked glacial till that often forms low oval-shaped hills that have their steepest side in the direction from which the glacier advanced
glacial action makes _ shaped valleys
u
which agent of erosion causes sand dunes
wind
what agent of erosion causes sand bars
waves
a major difference between sediments in the outwash and sediments in the moraines is
the sediments deposited in the outwash are sorted
when do kettle lakes form
when blocks of glacial ice are partially buried by sediments and melt on outwash plains
