Geography Quiz 5: River (or stream) Systems

Of the world's largest rivers, which has the greatest discharge?

a.) Amazon River b.) Zaire (Congo) River c.) Missouri-Ohio-Mississippi river system d.) Chang Chiang (Yangtze) of Asia a.) Amazon River

Which of the following stream channel forms is likely to develop when aggradation greatly exceeds erosion?

a.) V-shaped valleys b.) meandering channels c.) straight, steep-walled channels d.) braided channels d.) braided channels

When a river reaches a base level, its forward velocity rapidly decelerates as it enters a larger body of standing water and ________ is formed.

a.) an estuary b.) an alluvial terrace c.) a delta d.) a stream terrace

The maximum velocity line in a stream is

a.) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the deepest parts of the stream channel b.) near the inside of a meander c.) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the shallowest parts of the stream channel d.) near the bottom a.) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the deepest parts of the stream channel

An interruption in a stream's graded profile of equilibrium is called a

a.) base level b.) nickpoint c.) longitudinal interruption d.) gradation b.) nickpoint

The total possible load a stream can transport is its ________, whereas a stream's ability to move particles of specific size is its ________.

a.) discharge; competence b.) bed load; sediment load c.) capacity; competence d.) competence; capacity c.) capacity; competence

Rectangular drainage patterns form as a result of ________.

a.) domal uplift b.) flow through anticlinal and syniclinal topography c.) flow through a faulted landscape d.) differential resistance to erosion c.) flow through a faulted landscape

Stream-related processes are termed

a.) fluvial b.) erosion c.) hydrological d.) geomorphological a.) fluvial

The suspended load of a stream consists of particles that are

a.) in solution b.) rolled and bounced along the stream bed c.) held aloft in the stream flow s.) dragged along the stream bed c.) held aloft in the stream flow

Increased velocity and a rough channel can produce a

a.) laminar flow b.) maximum velocity c.) decreased capacity d.) turbulent flow d.) turbulent flow

Which of the following rock types is most affected by fluvial solution?

a.) limestone b.) rhyolite c.) sandstone d.) granite a.) limestone

Natural levees are created during

a.) none of these-all levees are manmade b.) low flow conditions c.) floods d.) normal flow conditions c.) floods

The ultimate base level is

a.) sea level b.) an interior basin c.) all of these d.) a dam a.) sea level

If you live in an area that was flooded by the 100-year flood last year, you can conclude that

a.) the next 100-year flood will occur in exactly 99 years b.) you do not have to worry about another flood of that size during your lifetime c.) you could be flooded by the 100-year flood this year d.) the next 100-year flood will occur in exactly 100 years c.) you could be flooded by the 100-year flood this year

As the discharge of a stream increases, which of the following also happens?

a.) the rate of flow decreases b.) width, depth, and velocity all increase c.) channel width increases but channel depth decreases d.) stream channels narrow, become shallower, and lose velocity

Stream width, depth, and velocity are all responsive to discharge rates.

a.) true b.) false a.) true

A flood recurrence interval of 100 years means that floods of that size will occur only once every 100 years.

a.) true b.) false b.) false

Because rivers constitute such a small percentage of Earth's total water supply, they play a small role in landform change

a.) true b.) false b.) false

Nickpoints migrate downstream

a.) true b.) false b.) false

The suspended load of a stream's transportation refers to those coarser materials that are dragged along the stream bed.

a.) true b.) false b.) false