GEOS 1113 last mastering questions
How are sulfide ore deposits produced at oceanic ridges?
As seawater infiltrates the newly produced hot basaltic crust, it leaches sulfur. When this water emerges from the crust via a black smoker and is cooled by the seawater, it precipitates sulfides.
Why the ground may subside after groundwater is pumped to the surface?
As water is withdrawn, the water pressure drops, and the sediment is left to support the weight on top of it. As a result, the sediment packs more closely together, causing the ground to subside.
apron of sediment along the mountain front.
Bajada
Which of the choices below correctly defines base level and differentiates between ultimate base level and local (temporary) base level?
Base level is generally defined as the lowest elevation to which a stream can erode its channel. The ultimate base level is sea level; local base levels are lakes, resistant layers of rock, and rivers that act as base levels for their tributaries.
Which desert location in the United States consists of alternating mountain ranges and flat-bottomed valleys as a result of fault block mountains?
Basin and Range Province
What is the primary ore of aluminum, and how does it form?
Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum. Bauxite forms in tropical conditions when aluminum-rich source rocks undergo prolonged chemical weathering.
Where are bedrock channels more likely to be found?
Bedrock channels are typically found in the headwaters of river systems where streams have steep slopes.
What is biomass, and what are two examples of it?
Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals, and it serves as a renewable energy source. A couple examples of such biomass are wood and crops.
How does groundwater create caverns?
Caverns are created when acidic groundwater dissolves and carries away limestone over time.
How do minerals accumulate in placers, and what are two examples of such minerals?
Certain heavy minerals, such as cassiterite and gold, are mechanically concentrated by currents due to their specific gravities. These concentrations are called placer deposits.
high likelihood of each being a good aquifer examples
Conglomerate (sedimentary rock composed of various sizes of sediment such as pebbles and sand grains) Sandstone (sedimentary rock composed of sand grains) Unconsolidated gravel and sand
What causes creep, and how can it be recognized?
Creep is caused by the repeated expansion and contraction of the regolith, which may be caused by repeated freezing and thawing or wetting and drying. Creep can be recognized by tilted trees, tilted fences, and displaced retaining walls.
What are crevasses and where do they form?
Crevasses are cracks that form in the zone of fracture at the top of the glacier. They form when tension is created as a result of the glacier moving over irregular terrain.
How is a lahar different from a debris flow that might occur in southern California?
Debris flows are composed of soil and regolith, whereas lahars are composed of volcanic materials.
What is the difference between an earthflow and a debris flow?
Debris flows generally occur within semiarid areas and tend to be restricted to channels, whereas earthflows most often occur on hillsides in humid areas.
Which of the following is characteristic of a desert stream?
Desert streams lack expansive tributary systems.
What is drawdown, and how does it relate to the cone of depression?
Drawdown is when the water table around a well is lowered because of water discharge. This depression in the water table is conical and is called a cone of depression.
1.____ are two examples of building minerals, whereas 2.____ are two examples of industrial minerals.
1. gypsum and calcite; 2. sulfur and sylvite
A pro of using nuclear energy is 1.____, whereas a con of using nuclear energy is 2.____.
1. that nuclear power plants do not emit carbon dioxide 2. that the disposal of nuclear waste is an ever-present hazard
Most dry lands exist between ________ degrees latitude on either side of the equator.
20 and 30
About what percentage of Earth's land area is covered by dry regions such as deserts and steppes?
30 %
About what percentage of Earth's land surface has been affected by glaciers during the Quaternary period?
30 percent
If the distance from one wave crest to the next is 10 ft., what will the depth to the wave base be?
5 ft
What share of Earth's liquid freshwater is groundwater?
94.05 percent
About what percentage of Earth's water is in the form of seawater?
97%
How do a gaining stream and a losing stream differ?
A gaining stream gains an influx of groundwater through the streambed, whereas a losing stream loses water to the groundwater through the streambed. A gaining stream exists when the elevation of the water table is higher than the surface of the stream. In contrast, a losing stream exists when the elevation of the water table is lower than the surface of the stream.
Why are urban areas susceptible to flash floods?
A high percentage of the surface area is covered with cement, asphalt, and other impervious materials
How does the rate of rock weathering in dry climates compare with the rate in humid regions?
Dry climates have much lower rates of chemical weathering and mechanical weathering than humid climates.
Why is it impossible to define the boundary between humid climates and dry climates by a single precipitation amount?
Dryness is not only related to annual precipitation totals, but is also a function of evaporation.
Which rapid form of mass wasting is found at the base of slump blocks?
Earthflow
The cross bedding in a preserved layer of sandstone dips (tilts downward) to the East. What can be inferred about the wind direction at the time of deposition?
From West to East
Under what conditions will the front of a glacier remain stationary?
Glacial fronts remain stationary when melting and snow accumulation are equal.
How do glaciers fit into the hydrologic cycle, and what roles do they play in the rock cycle?
Glaciers fit into the hydrologic cycle when precipitation that falls at high elevations does not immediately make its way toward the sea. Instead, it may become part of a glacier. Ultimately, the glacial ice will melt into water, which will continue on its path to the sea. Glaciers play a role in the rock cycle by being dynamic erosional agents that accumulate, transport, and deposit sediment.
In order to carve out valleys, glaciers have to be strong enough to drag rocks and boulders down the mountainside, but what else has to happen for glaciers to create glacial valleys?
Glaciers have to be soft enough to move, and it is this movement that drags the rocks and boulders responsible for carving Earth's surface.
low likelihood of each being a good aquifer examples
Granite (igneous rock) with very few to no cracks Gneiss (metamorphic rock that used to be granite and underwent intense pressure)
What generates tides on the earth?
Gravitational attraction of the moon
How does the movement of groundwater relate to hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivity?
Groundwater flows more rapidly through sediments having greater permeability than through materials having lower permeability. This factor is known as hydraulic conductivity. Groundwater moves more quickly down steeper slopes than down shallow slopes. For this reason, the water table is known as the hydraulic gradient.
What is groundwater, and how does it relate to the water table?
Groundwater is water that occupies the zone of saturation within the ground. The water table is the upper limit of the groundwater.
What geological roles does groundwater play?
Groundwater sustains streams during periods of no rainfall. Groundwater erodes bedrock through dissolution.
What factors led to the massive rockslide at Gros Ventre, Wyoming?
Heavy rains and meltwater seeped through the sandstone and saturated the clay underneath. The sandstone layer had almost no support at the bottom of the slope, as it had been undercut by the Gros Ventre River.
In order for an aquifer to be useful for reliable water extraction, what kind of porosity and permeability should it have?
High porosity, high permeability
In what situation is hydraulic fracturing used?
Hydraulic fracturing is used to open cracks in impermeable rocks so that the natural gas can flow into wells.
What are hydrothermal deposits, and what are the two general types?
Hydrothermal deposits are deposits of ore generated from hot, ion-rich fluids. The two main types of hydrothermal deposits are vein deposits and disseminated deposits.
Where were ice sheets more extensive during the Ice Age: the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere? Why?
Ice sheets were more extensive in the Northern Hemisphere because ice sheets only form on land and the Northern Hemisphere has more land in high latitudes than the Southern Hemisphere.
How might a stream channel become braided?
If a large portion of a stream's sediment load consists of coarse material and the stream has a highly variable discharge, a stream channel can become braided.
What is the relationship between earthquakes and landslides?
If a slope that has not previously experienced mass wasting is covered by surface materials that are saturated with water, the vibrations of an earthquake may trigger liquefaction of these materials, causing them to travel downslope. If a slope exists under conditions that favor mass wasting but has not had any movement occur, the shaking force from an earthquake may jar the material loose from the slope.
What significant problem might arise when groundwater is heavily pumped at a coastal site?
If the groundwater withdrawal exceeds recharge, the saltwater will become high enough to be drawn into the wells.
Please distinguish between the eye and eye wall of a hurricane.
In the eye of the hurricane, precipitation ceases and the wind subsides. In contrast, the greatest wind speeds and the heaviest rainfall occur within the eyewall. The eye is the very center of the hurricane, and it is surrounded by the eyewall.
What are cross beds?
Inclined layers in sediment or sedimentary rocks that reveal the direction of wave or wind transport
India's population has more than doubled in the last 40 years. What is its population now?
India's current population is 1.2 billion people.
Distinguish between building materials and industrial minerals.
Industrial minerals are less abundant than building minerals; their deposits are far more restricted in distribution and extent, and they need to undergo a considerable amount of processing before the desired material can be used. On the other hand, building materials are more abundant than industrial minerals; they generally require less transport and less processing before use.
bedrock knob sticking up through sediment-filled basin.
Inselberg
How concentrated must a metal be in order to be considered an ore?
It depends on economy and technology.
How has sea level changed over the last few thousand years?
It has risen about 10 cm per century.
What is the fetch?
A large area of open water over which wind blows to generate waves
What problem is caused by pumping groundwater for irrigation in the Southern High Plain?
A low precipitation rate and a high evaporation rate allow little water to recharge the aquifer.
How is a marine terrace related to a wave-cut platform?
A marine terrace is a wave-cut platform that has been uplifted above sea level by tectonic forces.
The creation of which sedimentary feature is controlled in part by debris flows exiting a narrow canyon?
Alluvial fan
What is the difference between an aquifer and an aquitard?
An aquifer is a rather permeable rock, whereas an aquitard is an impermeable rock.
Which of the below circumstances can lead to the formation of a spring?
An aquitard blocks the downward movement of groundwater, causing it to move laterally. Where the permeable crops out at the surface, a spring results.
Briefly describe a general drainage basin.
An area drained by a stream is called a drainage basin, which is bounded by an imaginary line called a divide. The divide can be clearly visible as a sharp ridge, or it could be difficult to determine in subdued topography.
What is the difference between an end moraine and a ground moraine, and how do they relate to the budget of a glacier?
An end moraine is a ridge of till that forms at the terminus of a glacier when the glacial budget is at equilibrium. A ground moraine is a layer of till that is deposited as ice melts when glacial ablation exceeds accumulation.
What is the definition of an ephemeral stream?
An intermittent stream that only has water after specific episodes of rain
What is an ore?
An ore is a useful metallic mineral that can be mined at a profit.
How does an oxbow lake form?
An oxbow lake forms when the bend of a meandering river is isolated from the river because erosional forces create a cutoff in the main river channel. This isolated bend becomes the oxbow lake.
Why might West Virginia have the landslide risk that it does?
Appalachian Mountains
How is it possible for a landslide to occur without a trigger?
Long-term weathering weakens the rock past the strength necessary to maintain stability.
Which of the following scenarios represents the best nonstructural approach to flood control?
Managing a floodplain to limit development in sensitive areas
Define mass movement. How does it differ from erosional agents such as streams, glaciers, and wind?
Mass movement is the downslope movement of rock material driven by the force of gravity. It differs from erosional processes in that mass movement does not require a transporting medium.
How do ore deposits relate to contact metamorphism?
Materials susceptible to contact metamorphism, such as limestone, experience chemical reactions as the hot fluids from the igneous rock move through the limestone. This often results in the creation of metal-rich deposits surrounding the plutons that have invaded the limestone.
How are medial moraines and lateral moraines related to each other, and in what setting do they form?
Medial and lateral moraines are linear landforms that are produced by alpine glaciers. Lateral moraines are deposited along the valley walls, whereas medial moraines result from the merging of two glaciers, their lateral moraines combining to form a medial moraine.
In the long term, what do beach drift and longshore current do?
Move sediment parallel to the shoreline
How do glaciers carve out valleys?
Moving glaciers engulf large boulders and rocks, which act as tools that scrape and chip away at solid rock.
Stream valleys are produced through combined effects of mass wasting and running water. If running water alone were responsible for creating stream valleys, how would they appear?
Narrow valleys with vertical walls
How does the formation of a natural levee impact flooding?
Natural levees raise the height of the stream channel, reducing the amount of flooding that will occur on the floodplain.
Assume that the irrigation well in the middle of this image was installed by a seed corn company and not by the farmers who own the local wells on either side. If irrigation were stopped immediately, would this localized lowering recover immediately? Why or why not?
No. The average aquifer has a groundwater flow rate of 4 cm/day.
What geologic process is responsible for warming the water at nonvolcanic locations such as Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, and Warm Springs, Georgia?
Normal geothermal gradient as groundwater circulates at depth
What are alternatives to hard stabilization?
Nourishing the beach with sand is an attempt to replenish an eroded beach, but it is a very costly, repetitive procedure that may affect the local ecosystem. Changing the use of beaches so that homes and other structures are no longer built in hazardous areas is an alternative to hard stabilization.
Distinguish between outwash deposits and ice-contact deposits.
Outwash deposits are deposited by meltwater streams beyond the terminus of a glacier, whereas ice-contact deposits accumulate on, within, or immediately adjacent to a glacier.
How does the burning of fossil fuels affect the environment?
Particulates are released into the atmosphere, which collect on ice caps and glaciers to absorb more heat. Greenhouse gases are released that raise global temperatures. Sulfur dioxide is produced, which contributes to acid rain. Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to ocean acidification.
What is permafrost, and what can result from disturbing it?
Permafrost is permanently frozen ground. If the thermal balance of permafrost is disturbed, ice within the permafrost may melt, causing the ground to slide, slump, or subside.
How does an end moraine form?
Pieces of rock are transported to the front of a glacier as ice within the glacier moves.
a broad lobe that spreads out to flow on an open plain.
Piedmont glacier
Please contrast porosity and permeability.
Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of rock or sediment that consists of pore spaces, whereas permeability is the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit fluid.
How might pyrite play a role in creating an ore deposit?
Pyrite chemically weathers into sulfuric acid, which allows percolating water to dissolve ore metals. The dissolved metals migrate downward through the primary ore body until they are precipitated.
What is one drawback to nuclear energy?
Radioactive nuclear waste is difficult to dispose of properly.
Which of the choices below correctly describes four main types of drainage patterns and what causes them?
Rectangular pattern, which develops on highly jointed bedrock; Trellis pattern, which develops in areas of alternating weak resistant bedrock; Dendritic pattern, which develops on relatively uniform surface materials; Radial pattern, which develops on isolated volcanic cones or domes
How do renewable resources and nonrenewable resources differ?
Renewable resources can be replenished over relatively short time spans such as months, years, or decades, whereas nonrenewable resources continue to be formed in Earth, but the processes that create them are so slow that significant deposits take millions of years to accumulate.
________ is a strong current formed by backwash concentrated into small channels and flows rapidly away from the beach.
Rip currents
How are changes in sea level recorded in rock?
Rock type changes vertically.
What system of measurement is used to categorize the strength of a hurricane?
Saffir-Simpson Scale
What is the effect of wave refraction along an irregular coastline?
Sand will be eroded from the headlands and deposited in the bays, straightening out the shoreline over time.
How did sea level change to produce this sequence of rocks? [TOP: Limestone, MID1: Mud, MID2: Sand, BOTTOM: Mud]
Sea level fell and then rose.
How did sea level change to produce this sequence of rocks? [TOP: Mud, MID1: Limestone, MID2: Mud, BOTTOM: Limestone]
Sea level fell, then rose, and then fell again.
How did sea level change to produce this sequence of rocks? [TOP: Sand, MID: Mud, BOTTOM: Limestone]
Sea level fell.
How did sea level change to produce this sequence of rocks? [TOP: Limestone, MID: Mud, BOTTOM: Sand]
Sea level rose.
How would you expect sediment to change as you walk from shore into the ocean?
Sediment generally changes from sand to mud to limestone.
During which season does solifluction occur in the Arctic, and why?
Solifluction occurs during the Arctic's summer, when the top meter or so of the active layer thaws. Because the resulting meltwater has nowhere to go, it saturates the active layer, causing it to slowly flow.
What is the definition of a placer deposit?
Sorting of particles by a water current according to a material's specific gravity
How do stalactites and stalagmites form?
Stalagmites form when calcite-rich water falls to the floor from the ceiling, splattering minute amounts of calcite on the floor. After many such depositions, a stalagmite begins to take shape. Stalactites form on the ceiling when water seeps through the ceiling and deposits calcite. Eventually a soda straw develops, which develops into a stalactite after many more depositions of calcite.
What are the three categories of damage caused by hurricanes?
Storm surge, wind damage, and inland flooding
Abrasion will be greatest in which part of the beach environment?
Surf Zone
Why doesn't sea level drop even though oceans have a higher rate of evaporation than precipitation?
Surface water running off into the oceans makes up the difference between evaporation from the oceans and precipitation into the oceans, creating a balance.
If you happen to be caught in a rip current, what is the best way to get to safety?
Swim parallel to the shore.
Why do the Koli insist that they will never leave their waterfront community?
The Koli believe that the sea is their god and it is what feeds their children and how they make their living.
Why do the Koli believe they are deliberately being denied community services?
The Koli believe they are deliberately being denied community services as a means to force them to move from their valuable waterfront property.
In the video, the narrator compares the grinding of surface rocks by the Nigardsbreen Glacier to what?
The advancing and retreating motion of the Nigardsbreen Glacier has been grinding down surface rocks like an enormous piece of sandpaper.
How might building a dam on a river that flows to the sea affect a coastal beach?
The beach becomes narrower and the cliffs behind it are subjected to a higher rate of erosion.
What is the biggest threat to the Koli way of life?
The biggest threat to the Koli way of life is the overall decrease in the number of fish because of significant water pollution and Mumbai's population explosion.
In general, how do the channel width, channel depth, flow velocity, and discharge change between the headwaters and the mouth of the stream?
The channel width, channel depth, flow velocity, and discharge all increase as the stream approaches the mouth.
How did the debris from the Gros Ventre Landslide of 1925 lead to another disaster in the same region in 1927?
The debris blocked the river, creating a lake that later burst.
What gives the lake adjacent to the Nigardsbreen Glacier its deep blue color?
The deep blue color is the result of minerals found in dust that has washed into the lake.
Cross beds are a preserved record of what?
The deposition of sand on the leeward side of a dune.
What is base level?
The downward limit of erosion.
What are the four types of oil traps, and what do they all have in common?
The four types of oil traps are salt domes, fault traps, anticlines, and stratigraphic traps. All four traps have a porous, permeable reservoir rock that yields the natural gas and an impermeable cap rock that keeps the gas from escaping at the surface.
How would you expect the front of a glacier to move if it undergoes a period of net accumulation, followed by net wastage, and finally a period of net accumulation?
The glacier's front would move forward, backward, and then forward again.
What is the source of heat for most hot springs and geysers, and how is this reflected in the distribution of these features?
The heat sources for most hot springs and geysers are magma bodies and igneous rocks. Thus, hot springs and geysers are often located where igneous activity occurs.
What occurs to cause a geyser to erupt?
The heat underground within a geyser causes the water to expand, and some water is forced out of to the surface. Water deep within the geyser quickly turns to steam, causing the geyser to erupt.
How does the per capita consumption of metallic mineral resources compare with the per capita consumption of nonmetallic mineral resources?
The per capita consumption of nonmetallic mineral resources is overwhelmingly higher than the per capita consumption of metallic mineral resources.
Which of the following is a characteristic of a mineral reserve?
The profitability of a reserve can change if the market price of that metal changes.
Which statement best summarizes the climate change hypothesis that involves variations in Earth's orbit?
The reasons for changes in Earth's climate during the Quaternary are changes in eccentricity (shape of Earth's orbit), changes in precession (wobbling of Earth's axis), and changes in obliquity (angle of Earth's axis to Earth's orbit).
How would a snow line on a glacier move as a glacial front is advancing?
The snow line would move downslope.
The climate is stable
The snowline remains at the same position
What is the angle of repose?
The steepest angle at which a material remains at rest
A stream is cutting into a valley wall. Which of the following is the most likely trigger for a mass wasting event?
The stream erodes the toe of the slope, which results in the slope becoming oversteepened.
What term refers to any type of glacial deposit, and what is the difference between till and stratified drift?
The term "glacial drift" describes any sediment that is of glacial origin. Till is an unsorted type of glacial drift, whereas stratified drift is sediment that is sorted according to the size and weight of particles.
Under what circumstances will the front of a glacier advance, retreat, or remain stationary?
The terminus of a glacier advances if there is more accumulation than ablation, retreats if there is more ablation than accumulation, and remains stationary if accumulation is balanced with ablation.
What are the differences between neap tides and spring tides?
The tidal range of a spring tide is larger than the tidal range of a neap tide. During a spring tide, the Moon, Earth, and Sun are aligned along a single line. During a neap tide, the Moon and Sun act on Earth in right angles. When a spring tide occurs, the moon is new or full. When a neap tide occurs, the moon is at first quarter or third quarter.
Why doesn't interior drainage, such as the drainage that develops in deserts, flow out of the desert?
The water evaporates before the stream can exit the desert region.
How does the water table change around a pumping water well?
The water table elevation decreases.
Which circumstance will force a wave displaying circular orbital motion to slow down at the base, which allows the wave to break?
The wave feels bottom with shallower depth.
Why is it so difficult for wind to pick up clay-sized particles?
The wind has a near-zero velocity closest to the surface and can't pick them up.
The climate is cooling
The zone of accumulation is growing
The climate is warming
The zone of wastage is growing The elevation of the snowline increases
Central Wisconsin and south-central Minnesota both have regions with the potential for landslides. However, neither of these locations is located in mountainous areas. Why might landslides occur in these specific regions?
These locations have steep bluffs along rivers
How do glaciers acquire their load of sediment?
They pluck and abrade sediments from the bedrock.
Where are glaciers found today, and what percentage of the Earth's surface do they cover today?
Today, glaciers are generally found near Earth's poles and in high mountains. They cover nearly 10 percent of Earth's land surface.
Is the water table usually flat like the surface of a kitchen table, and why or why not?
Underground, the water table is shaped like a subdued replica of the land surface. Additionally, the water surfaces of rivers and lakes are the level of the water table.
What geologic process is responsible for the geothermal features in Yellowstone National Park?
Volcanic activity
What is infiltration?
Water soaking into the ground
What factors cause water to follow the paths shown in the above diagram?
Water that enters the groundwater at the recharge areas moves downward due to gravity and then loops upward to the discharge areas due to water pressure.
Which of the following coastal features is not a characteristic of a submergent coastline?
Wave-cut platform
Why do waves approaching the shoreline bend?
Waves approaching the shoreline bend because the part of the wave nearest the shore reaches shallow water and slows first, whereas the end that is still in deep water continues forward at its full speed.
How does an alluvial fan form?
When a stream with a steep gradient emerges onto a relatively flat lowland, its gradient drops, and it deposits a large portion of its sediment load in a pattern that looks like a fan from above.
How is loess related to glaciers?
When glaciers retreat, their meltwater contains loess, which can be picked up by winds and distributed elsewhere.
When does the spring tide occur?
When the Sun and the Moon are in alignment
What causes cavern formation to stop at one level (depth) but not continue or begin at a lower level?
When the entrenchment of streams is slow or negligible, the groundwater level does not drop, and cavern formation does not begin at a lower level.
How might a wildfire influence mass movement?
Wildfire destroys plants which anchor soils and loosen upper layers of soils, increasing mass movement events.
Wildfires, such as the ones in Montecito, California in 2018, contribute to mass wasting. What effect do they have?
Wildfires clear the slope of vegetation, leading to a more unstable slope.
Why do desert dunes migrate?
Wind erodes material on the windward side of the dune and deposits it on the leeward side of the dune.
Will plucking occur if a glacier is NOT advancing?
Yes, because glacial ice is still moving inside the glacier even if the glacier's front is not advancing.
What is a stream's longitudinal profile?
a cross-sectional view of a stream from the headwaters to its mouth
What is a floodplain?
a flat surface next to a river channel
What is an end moraine?
a ridge of debris deposited at the end of a glacier
What is a natural levee?
a ridge of flood deposits next to a river channel
____ is a trigger for mass wasting. CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY.
a wildfire oversteepening of a slope adding water to sediments
Rocks are ________ when they are scratched by sediment particles moved by wind.
abrasion
cone of debris at the mouth of a canyon leaving the mountains.
alluvial fan
What is an ephemeral stream?
an intermittent stream that carries water only in response to specific episodes of rainfall
What is the main mineral source of phosphorous in phosphate fertilizers?
apatite
water under pressure in a confined aquifer that will rise above the level of the aquifer.
artesian well
In what ways does a stream transport its load, and which part of the load moves most slowly?
as a suspended load as a bed load, which is the slowest mode of particle transport in streams as a dissolved load
Which way would sediment move if NO beach drift existed?
at an angle to shore
What are the components of glacier movement?
basal slip, which is the process of the glacier sliding along the ground plastic flow, which is an internal flow within the ice
The lowest level to which a stream can erode is called...
base level
What processes contribute to the longshore transport of sediment?
beach drift longshore currents
Why is the shoreline described as being an interface?
because the shoreline is a dynamic boundary among air, land, and sea
What are the three types of loads carried by streams?
bed load, suspended load, dissolved load
Transpiration moves water from _______.
biosphere to the atmosphere
A ________ is a hard shoreline stabilization feature, detached from the shoreline, that protects shorelines from the pounding of waves by creating an area of quiet water behind it.
breakwater
renewable resources
chickens biomass wind geothermal energy
a small, round glacier at the head of a valley.
cirque
Complete this analogy: Bouncing is to sand as suspension is to_____________.
clay
What size sediment can be transported by wind?
clay sand silt
The coastal zone is _______.
composed of fragile, short-lived features that are inappropriate for development
An artesian well must tap into ______.
confined aquifer
rock or regolith that can store and transmit water but is contained between two impermeable layers.
confined aquifer
artificial containment structures fail.
dam-failure floods
If the velocity of a stream decreases, competence __________ and sediment is _____.
decreases, deposited
Fine-grained surface sediments are eroded by wind during...
deflation
________ of sediment occurs when the wind carrying the sediments stops or slows such that it can no longer hold them.
deposition
At a tectonically stable shoreline, marine erosion and deposition over time will
develop a straighter and more regular coastline from an irregular coastline by eroding headlands into cliffs, filling bays with sediment, and creating spits and baymouth bars.
The volume of water flowing past a certain point in a given amount of time is a river's...
discharge
Which way does ice flow in a glacier retreating uphill?
downslope
"De-watering" a slope could include constructing horizontal ________ to remove the water.
drain pipes
The geographical area where all surface water converges to one location is called its...
drainage basin
A(n) ________ coast will be created when sea level falls or the land is uplifted.
emergent
All forms of ________ remove materials from the landscape surface.
erosion
Incised meanders and terraces are __________.
erosional features
According to the hydrologic cycle, once precipitation has fallen on land, what paths might the water directly take?
evaporation/transpiration infiltration into the ground runoff into a river runoff into the sea
One main cause of creep is ________.
expansion and contraction of soils during freezing and thawing
Which central part of a hurricane is characterized by a calm zone where precipitation and winds cease?
eye
Which type of motion will supply material to and maintain talus slopes?
fall
detached material moves in a free-fall
fall
What ways material can move during mass movement events?
fall flow slide
t/f A large wave generated by an earthquake off the coast of Chile could normally travel a distance of 500 miles at the most.
false
t/f A true desert is defined by how hot it is.
false
t/f Black sand beaches in Hawaii were created by the erosion and deposition of coral.
false
t/f Just like with surface water erosion, sea level serves as the ultimate base level below which glaciers cannot erode.
false
t/f Mudflows are big enough to move in any direction, regardless of the orientation of the landscape.
false
t/f Running water is the second most important erosional agent sculpting Earth's land surface.
false
caused by extensional tectonics, and the underlying reason for Basin and Range topography.
fault-block mountains
How do fjords relate to glacial troughs?
fjords are glacial throughs that become submerged as the ice left the valleys and the sea levels rose
Floods with high precipitation in a short time.
flash floods
A river with a well-developed ________ has a flat low-lying channel and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge
floodplain
The flat, broad area surrounding a stream is referred to as a(n)...
floodplain
________ are flat areas along streams that are created by the deposition of alluvium and is subject to periodic inundation.
floodplains
material moves downslope as a viscous fluid
flow
Which of the following factors does not influence mass wasting?
geologic age
A ________ is a process that can cause harm to people or property if they are sufficiently exposed.
geological hazard
intermittent hot springs that periodically eject water into the air with great force.
geyser
Which of the following are part of the bed load?
gravel and sand
Velocity and turbulence are _____ at the __________.
greatest; outside of a meander
The ________ of a river have a steep gradient, high channel roughness, and low water volume.
headwaters
a large, massive glacier that moves independently of the topography.
ice sheet
frozen material creates a temporary dam on a thawing river.
ice-jam floods
Geysers are more common in the western United States because ______.
igneous activity has occurred more recently in the western United States
Where do glaciers form?
in places where more snow falls in the winter than melts away in the summer
A(n) ______ is a bend in a steep narrow bedrock valley.
incised meander
Complete this analogy: Sliding is to gravel as dissolution is to_____________.
ions
Which of the following is an artificial coastal feature?
jetty
Diamonds are typically found in ___.
kimberlite pipes
Which mass wasting process involved volcanically derived material from the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz and destroyed the city of Armero in 1985?
lahar
Examples of local base level include a stream or a(n)...
lake
considerably flatter areas with only the occasional rocky hill.
last stage basin and range desert
Which rock types would you expect to be deposited on top of limestone if sea level rises and then falls?
limestone followed by mud
What is meant by a nonstructural approach to flood control?
limiting certain activities or land uses and implementing appropriate zoning regulations in high-risk flood areas
Deposits of silt carried by blowing winds are referred to as ________.
loess
In a river valley, mass-wasting processes can ______.
make the river valley wider make the valley walls less steep
________ is the downslope movement of rock, regolith, or soil under the direct influence of gravity.
mass wasting
A sweeping bend of a stream which is migrating laterally in a wide, flat valley is called a(n)...
meander
A stream with a low to moderate gradient, carrying most of its load in suspension, should be characterized by many curves and bends called...
meanders
Which of the following is a characteristic of a graded stream? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY.
meanders well-developed floodplain
A steep-sided, flat-topped desert hill is known as a(n) ________.
mesa
The most common type of gas hydrate is ________.
methane hydrate
A delta forms at the ________ of a river, where the velocity of the water flow decreases and deposition is highest.
mouth
Which rock types would you expect to be deposited on top of limestone if sea level falls and then rises?
mud followed by limestone
What word describes resources such as aluminum that can be recycled?
nonrenewable
In what environment will the plant and animal remains necessary to generate oil accumulate?
ocean
A rainshadow desert forms ______.
on the leeward side of a mountain
Of the following options, which is the most common type of chemical weathering in a desert?
oxidation
Which aquifer listed below would be the most effective in purifying polluted groundwater, and why?
permeable sandstone; the pores between grains are large enough to let water through but small enough to block contaminants
There are many names for ephemeral desert streams that remain empty for most of the year. Which of the following is not another name for an ephemeral desert stream?
playa
Which of the following can contain large quantities of evaporite minerals such as borate and halite?
playa
What are visible effects of glacial erosion?
polished rock on the surface of the bedrock grooves parallel to the direction of the glacier's movement on the surface of the bedrock the generation of erosional landforms
Worldwide, the largest percentage of freshwater readily available to humans is stored in _______.
pore spaces between rocks and sediments
List the features layered in the cross section of a flowing artesian well from top to bottom.
pressure surface, flowing artesian well, aquitard, aquifer (containing well base), aquitard
seasonal Floods.
regional floods
Which of the following efforts to counteract beach erosion do coastal scientists consider the best permanent option?
relocation of at-risk buildings from the beach
What was the trigger for the landslide in Menton, France?
removal of stabilizing vegetation
A ________ is an economically important material that can be replenished over a short time span to be used again.
renewable resource
When considering hydrothermal deposits, vein- or fissure-filling deposits of metallic ores such as gold or silver are common in ________.
rocks of a contact-metamorphic zone that formed around a shallow granite pluton Submit
What term is commonly used to describe a sudden event in which large volumes of rock move down steep slopes?
rockslide
How can pieces of rock in contact with a stream bed move?
rolling, sliding, bouncing
How do pieces of rock move under the influence of wind?
rolling, sliding, bouncing, suspension
Wind can cause sand grains that are too heavy to remain suspended in the air to bounce or roll along the ground - a process called...
saltation
Which of the following can result from excessive pumping of groundwater? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY.
saltwater contamination subsidence reversing the direction of flow in the aquifer
Which rock types would you expect to see deposited if sea level rises and then falls?
sand covered by mud covered by sand
Esker
sands and gravels
Which of the following would be a good reservoir rock for oil and natural gas?
sandstone
What are the effects of Ice Age glaciers besides the formation of major erosional and depositional features?
sea-level changes changes to rivers and valleys the creation of proglacial lakes pluvial lakes crustal subsidence and rebound
Which of the following would be a good cap rock for oil and natural gas deposits?
shale
nonrenewable resources
silver coal copper natural gas
What property of a piece of material will most directly determine how it is carried by wind?
size
mass movements in which there is a distinct plane of weakness between the slide material and underlying stable material
slide
Which type of mass wasting forms a crescent-shaped scarp at the head of movement?
slump
Erratic
solid rock
Horn
solid rock
Rouche moutonee
solid rock
Which of the following depositional features is produced by longshore transport?
spit
a natural outflow of water where the water table intersects the surface.
spring
Deserts form in the subtropical regions as a result of ________.
subsiding air masses
A(n) _______ is the remnant of a former floodplain.
terrace
What is secondary enrichment?
the creation of important mineral deposits by concentrating minor amounts of metals that are scattered through unweathered rock into economically valuable concentrations
What is the snowline?
the elevation above which snow persists throughout the year
What is suspended load?
the fine-grained particles that travel in the water column above the stream bed
What warms the waters that flow at Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, and at Warm Springs, Georgia?
the geothermal gradient
Which is the best definition of glacial snow line?
the line dividing zones of accumulation and melting of ice at the surface of a glacier
The lower limits of a blowout are controlled by ______.
the local water table
When rain falls on land, what factors influence the amount of water that soaks in?
the nature of the surface material the amount of vegetation on the surface the intensity of rainfall the steepness of the slope
What is the zone of wastage?
the part of a glacier where snow melting exceeds snow accumulation
What is dust?
the particles carried in suspension by wind
Why do some artesian wells not flow at Earth's surface?
the pressure surface is below ground level
What factors influence where and when hurricane formation takes place?
the sea-surface temperatures the strength of the Coriolis effect
What is the cone of depression?
the shape that the water table takes on near a pumping well
Drumlin
till
Lateral moraine
till
Which of the choices below is not a factor that causes infiltration and runoff to vary from place to place and from time to time?
time of the day
Which of the following is an erosional feature?
tower karst
a type of calcite that is deposited at geothermal springs like Mammoth Hot Springs.
travertine
A ________ is not the sole cause of a mass wasting event, but the last of many causes that initiate the downslope movement of materials.
trigger
t/f A mineral deposit may lose its profitability due to economic changes such as rising production costs and stock market volatility.
true
t/f Caves, as formed from dissolution, are most commonly formed in limestone, but are occasionally found in other rock types, like gypsum.
true
t/f Coal forms from ancient plant remains originally deposited in swamps and marshes. The original energy content of the coal was derived from the sun.
true
t/f Coal is still an important fuel in the United States, mainly used for producing electricity today.
true
t/f Creep is the most widespread mass-wasting process.
true
t/f Crushed stone, sand, and gravel are three examples of nonmetallic mineral resources that are building materials.
true
t/f Freshwater is less dense than saltwater.
true
t/f Hard stabilization methods of protecting beaches from erosion are ultimately only a form of temporary protection.
true
t/f Most caverns are created at or near the water table.
true
t/f Point bars are locations where deposition occurs whereas cutbanks are locations where erosion occurs.
true
t/f Repeat laser or radar surveys, photogrammetry from ground or air, and satellite measurements (InSAR) provide motion assessments of large areas and provide a good indication of changes occurring on the landscape.
true
t/f Sandstorms should be more accurately referred to as siltstorms because most sediment carried by wind for long distances is actually silt-sized.
true
t/f Since 1850 Glacier National Park has gone from 150 glaciers to 25 glaciers.
true
t/f The North American continent was covered by more ice than the South American continent at the height of the Ice Age.
true
t/f The gold deposits discovered at Sutters Creek that instigated the California Gold Rush of 1848 were in the form of placer deposits.
true
t/f The process of expanding deserts is known as desertification.
true
t/f The use of renewable energy has been increasing for the last 40 years and is expected to continue to rise.
true
t/f The weathering process of frost action can make a slope less stable.
true
t/f Trees will result in more slope stability than grasses.
true
rock or regolith that can store and transmit water and receives its recharge directly from the atmosphere.
unconfined aquifer
What is the primary fuel that is used in nuclear power plants?
uranium-235
a long, narrow glacier that flows downslope.
valley glacier
A(n) ________ is a smooth, polished rock that has been abraded by the wind.
ventifact
What is the risk for landslides in West Virginia?
very high potential
Hurricanes get their energy from ________ water.
warm
What is the most important erosional agent in deserts?
water
Which factor exerts the greatest control over the velocity of debris flows and the distance they will travel?
water content
What is the longshore current?
water forced by waves to move along the shore
dividing line between the vadose zone and the zone of saturation.
water table
When will a cone of depression stop enlarging?
when the amount of water flowing toward the well equals the amount of water being pumped out of the well
When might a well, Well A, go dry?
when the cone of depression of a second well intersects the deepest part of Well A
From a climatological perspective, a region is a desert if ________.
yearly precipitation is less than evaporation
What are the three main zones of a river system from highest to lowest?
zone of sediment production, zone of transportation, and zone of deposition