The Solid Earth - Chapter 3: Work of Streams Flashcards
Circular holes that are carved into the channel floor by sharp pebbles
potholes
sediment that is transported in solution
dissolved load
sediment that is transported in suspension
suspended load
sediment transported along the bottom
bed load
The dissolved load is largely brought to the stream by _____
groundwater
Most streams carry the largest part of their load in _____
suspension
The coarser particles moving along the bottom of the stream constitute the ___ ____
bed load
Sediment moving by ____ appears to jump or skip along the stream bed
saltation
True or false: the suspended and dissolved loads are in constant motion, but the bed load is not necessarily
True
A stream’s ability to carry its load is established by ___ and ____
competence
capacity
The maximum load a stream can carry
capacity
the measure of the maximum size of particles a stream can transport
competence
stream transport provides a mechanism by which solid particles of various ____ are separated is called sorted
sizing
the well sorted material typically deposited by a stream
alluvium
when a stream enters the waters of an ocean or lake, its forward motion is quickly lost and the resulting deposits form a ____
delta
The particles that go the farthest (finer particles) will form the ___ beds
bottomset
Before the accumulation of bottomset beds, _____ beds beging to form and are composed of coarse seiment
foreset
What are foreset beds usually covered by
topset beds
the divisions of the main channels of streams
distributaries
features similar to deltas that form on land
alluvial fans
a landform built by rivers that occupy valleys with broad, flat valley floors on occasion which parallels its channel
natural levee
Marshes called ___ ____ form because the area behind the levee is poorly drained
back swamps
A tributary stream that attempts to enter a river with natural levees and has to flow parallel to the main stream until it can breach the levee
yazoo tributaries
