Test #2 Landforms

Perched water tables occur above the main water table. a. True b. False

a. True.

Percolation in the vadose zone increases as soil becomes wetter. a. True b. False

a. True.

Which is typically the least important form of stream erosion? a. corrosion b. abrasion c. hydraulic action d. dissolution

a. corrosion.

A flood with a recurrence interval of 100 years means that the flood occurs every 100 years. a. True b. False

b. False

Fluvial landforms are all formed by stream erosion. a. True b. False

b. False.

Water in a river with a large suspended load is more competent than a river moving large boulders. a. True b. False

b. False.

What two factors determine stream discharge? a. Velocity and length of stream b. Velocity and cross-sectional area of stream c. Gradient and depth of stream d. depth of stream and slope

b. Velocity and cross-sectional area of stream.

Which typically carries the greatest amount of river sediment load? a. bed load b. suspended load c. dissolved load d. none of the above

b. suspended load.

_____ is a process that breaks down rock into smaller fragments or sediments. a. erosion b. weathering c. mass movement d. explosion

b. weathering

Groundwater is stored in: a. aquicludes b. the vadose zone c. aquifers d. acquitards

c. aquifers.

Where is a stream's load deposited? a. in the delta b. in the stream itself c. on the floodplain d. all of the above e. none of the above

d. all of the above.

Commonly, a river is said to be graded when the longitudinal profile is _________and neither _______ or _______occurs. a. unstable; transport; erosion of channel floor b. stable; transport; erosion of channel floor c. unstable; aggradation; erosion of channel floor d. stable; aggradation; erosion of channel floor

d. stable; aggradation; erosion of channel floor.

Which soil would have the highest permeability? a. sandy loam b. silty loam c. clay loam d. silty clay

A sandy loam

Which soil orders are most strongly influenced by parent material than any other single factor? a. andisols b. spodosols c. ultisols d. oxisols e. vertisols

A. andisols

The formation of underground caverns occurs through the ____ process. a. carbonation b. oxidation c. hydroxation d. soil emulsification

A. carbonation

Which of the following statements list soil particles from smallest (left) to largest (right)? a. clay, silt, sand b. silt, sand, clay c. silt, clay, sand d. sand, silt, clay

A. clay, slit, sand

As landscapes become less steep or flatter, which processes work more slowly to wear down the landscapes? a. erosional b. deposition c. compaction d. lithifaction

A. erosional

What type of topography produces a thicker soil depth? a. flat b. gently sloping c. steeply sloping d. mountainous

A. flat

Porosity is the ability of soil to ___ water. a. hold b. dissolve c. transmit d. discharge e. produce

A. hold

Which of the following is not a process involved in the weathering of rocks? a. lithological b. biological c. chemical d. mechanical

A. ithological

The tall grasslands of North America produce rich, deep fertile soils of the ____soil order. a. mollisols b. gelisols c. andisols d. oxisols

A. mollisols

The typical soil order for tropical rainforests is: a. oxisols b. spodosols c. ultisols d. mollisols e. vertisols

A. oxisols

Erosion leads to the reduction of the ____ of landmasses. a. relief b. horizontality c. salt content d. carbon content

A. relief

Slope failure will occur when material exceed ________. a. the angle of repose b. the density of water c. the strength of individual minerals in the materials d. the strength of anchoring vegetation

A. the angle of repose

Steep-sided mountainous soils tend to be ____ in depth. a. thin b. very deep c. average d. highly variable, but usually deep

A. thin

Which of the following is NOT a major factor in soil formation? a. tractors b. time c. water d. parent material e. topography

A. tractors

Erosion by rivers and road construction are examples of factors which may cause an increase in slope angle thereby promoting mass movements. a. True b. False

A. true

The ____ soil order is defined by its lack of a B layer and a weakly developed soil. a. oxisols b. entisols c. inceptisols d. andisols e. podosols

B entisols

The ____ soil order is most common in permafrost regions of the subarctic. a. mollisols b. gelisols c. glacisols d. alfisols

B gelisois

This type of mass movement involves large blocks of bedrock breaking off and moving downslope on a well-defined, planar surface. a. creep b. rockslide c. flow d. fall e. slump

B rockslide

Flows are distinguished from other mass movements by: a. their components, such as rocks, sediment, soil b. their fluidity c. how rapidly they move d. the weight of materials moved

B, their fluidity

A soil with pH of ____ is neither acidic nor alkaline. a. 5 b. 7 c. 9 d. 11 e. 15

B. 7

The process of illuviation adds particles in the ____ layer. a. A b. B c. C d. R e. E

B. B

Which Köppen climate type is associated with aridisols? a. Aw b. BW c. Cw d. Dw e. none of these

B. BW

Which material has the greatest cohesion? a. dry sand b. clays c. pebbles d. boulders

B. Clays

Soil is a(n) ____ resource. a. nonrenewable b. renewable c. endangered d. enormous

B. Renewable

Karst topography involves which of the following types of weathering: a. biological b. chemical c. mechanical d. none of these

B. chemical

Mechanical weathering is more active in ____climates. a. tropical b. cold, wet c. warm, wet d. warm, dry

B. cold, wet

Weathering begins to wear down rocks: a. after mountains have been formed b. during and after the mountains have been formed c. only after glaciers form on the mountains d. when mountains block wind circulation

B. during and after the mountains have been formed.

While relief can be increased by volcanism and tectonics, it is decreased mostly by: a. climate b. erosion c. sinkholes d. urbanization

B. erosion

The peds associated with platy soil structure most closely resemble: a. bread crumbs b. flakes c. columns d. small ropes e. ice cubes

B. flackes

Which soil order is associated with peat or muck and common in wetlands? a. gelisols b. histosols c. entisols d. mollisols e. muckisols

B. histosols

A soil profile shows a sequence of layers called ___. a. plates b. horizons c. verticals d. steps e. stairs

B. horizons

A vista of hills and valleys can be considered a: a. landform b. landscape c. physiographic realm d. a physical realm

B. landscape

A pedon extends down to _______. a. just above the C horizon b. the top of the R horizon c. the top of the B horizon d. the E horizon

B. the top of the R horizon.

Most chemical weathering involves: a. carbon dioxide b. water c. salts d. air or oxidation

B. water

Parent material of soil is generally: a. decomposed plant litter b. weathered bedrock c. clay d. dirt

B. weather bedrock

Solum consists of the following soil layers? a. O, A b. O, A, B, C c. A, B d. C, R

C. A, B

Which layer best represents the weathered bedrock layer? a. A b. B c. C d. R e. E

C. C

The process of transporting particles from a higher layer to a lower layer is called ____. a. eluviation b. illuviation c. illumination d. transmigration

C. Eluvaiation

Decomposed organic matter form a dark, top layer of soil is called: a. fertilizer b. organic rock c. humus d. hummus

C. Humus

Which of the following is NOT a component of soil? a. organic matter b. inorganic matter c. rocks d. gases

C. Rocks

Weathering is the: a. formation of larger landforms through natural processes b. deposition of rocks and mineral particles c. breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller particles d. transportation of rocks and minerals

C. breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller particles.

Which of the following soils would generally have the highest field capacity? a. sandy loam b. silty loam c. clay loam d. desert soil

C. clay loam

Which of the following materials have the shallowest angle of repose? a. sands b. boulders c. clays d. strong bedrock

C. clays

Besides friction, this feature with regards to material also resists movement. a. magnetism b. fluid content c. cohesion d. all of these

C. cohesion

Which of the following is the slowest form of mass movement? a. slide b. flow c. creep d. stroll

C. creep

In sub-freezing climate, water that seeps into rock joints or cracks can break off rock particles through: a. acidic chemical reactions b. abrasion caused by falling water c. frost action when water freezes d. growth of biological agents

C. frost action when water freezes

Which soil order has only the early development of a B horizon? a. entisols b. aridisols c. inceptisols d. oxisols e. betasols

C. inceptisols

The deep red in tropical soils is due to the accumulation of ______ in the B layer. a. red organics b. magnesium oxide c. iron oxide d. sulfur oxide

C. iron oxide

A spontaneous downslope movement of Earth materials is called: a. erosion b. weathering c. mass movement d. mass transit

C. mass movemnt

Solifluction, a type of slow mass movement, occurs: a. mostly in the tropics b. mostly in high altitudes c. mostly in high latitudes d. all of these

C. mostly in high latitudes

Where would soil formation be relatively rapid? a. in a dry desert b. in polar tundra c. on a tropical volcanic island d. the high Arctic

C. on a tropical formation be relatively

Which of the following is NOT a type of mass movement? a. flow b. slide c. ooze d. creep e. fall

C. ooze

Reddish brown to orange or yellow colored minerals that form a distinctive rust-like coating on weathered rocks is due to a. mechanical weathering b. carbonation c. oxidation d. red organic pigments on the Earth's surface

C. oxidation

Which of these is not a form of mechanical weathering? a. exfoliation b. thermal expansion c. oxidation d. frost action

C. oxidation

The type of mass movement snow avalanches are considered is: a. creep b. flow c. slide d. fall e. debris flow

C. slide

The highest classification level in soil taxonomy is ____. a. soil division b. soil group c. soil order d. soil family

C. soil order.

When the upper layers of soil is dark brown or black, this would indicate: a. a high pH level b. a high level of solar radiation c. the presence of organic matter d. the presence of iron oxides

C. the presence of organic matter.

The soil formation process involving the introduction of dissolved and suspended particles from upper layers into lower ones is called: a. illuviation b. transformation c. translocation d. propagation e. sedimentation

C. translocation

What type of ash is associated with andisols? a. alluvial b. lime c. volcanic d. colluvial e. wooden

C. volcanic

The force of gravity acting on geologic materials consists of which of the following components? a. cohesion b. shear stress c. the force pushing the block into the slope d. both (b) and (c)

D both b and c

A loam soil consists of: a. mostly silt and sand b. mostly silt and clay c. mostly clay and sand d. nearly equal amounts of clay, silt and sand

D, neatly equal amounts of clay, silt and sand

Spodosol soils are most associated with which Köppen climate classification? a. A b. B c. C d. D e. ET

D. D

Which of the following soil horizons when reading from left to right indicate the correct order from top to bottom? a. A, B, C, E, O, R b. A, B, C, E, R, O c. A, B, E, C, O, R d. O, A, E, B, C, R

D. O, A, E, B, C, R

When weeds and grass break through sidewalks and driveway concrete, it is an example of: a. a biological form of chemical weathering b. a physical form of mechanical weathering c. poor concrete rather than weathering d. a biological form of physical weathering

D. a biological form of physical weathering

Natural landforms develop as a result of which process(es)? a. erosion b. weathering c. deposition d. all of these

D. all of htese

The soil resides at the intersection of which spheres? a. atmosphere, lithosphere b. lithosphere, hydrosphere c. biosphere, lithosphere d. all of these

D. all of the answer.

Why do oxisols have such low fertility? a. percolating water leaches the soil b. organic matter is quickly lost c. low concentrations of iron and aluminum d. both (a) and (b) e. both (a) and (c)

D. both (a) and (b)

Areas of high relief tend to have: a. steep slopes b. high rates of erosion c. low rates of erosion d. both (a) and (b)

D. both a and b

When rock expands, sheets of outer rock peels off of outcrops or boulders by a. frost action b. oxidation c. thermal emancipation d. exfoliation

D. exfoliation

Alkaline soils have a pH value of: a. near 7 b. from 4 to 7 c. from 0 to 4 d. from 8 to 11 e. 15 to 20

D. form 8 to 11

Soil coloid particles have a ___ charge and attract _____ such as Calcium and Potassium. a. positive, anions b. positive, cations c. negative, anions d. negative, cations

D. negative, cations

Which of these is NOT a landform? a. hill b. mountain c. sinkhole d. the Rocky Mountains e. a sand dune

D. the rocky mountains

How are the soil orders entisols, histosols, vertisols, inceptisols, gelisols and andisols similar? a. they are strongly associated with certain climates b. they are strongly associated with glacial activity c. they are strongly associated with fluvial action d. they are not associated strongly with certain climates

D. they are not associated strongly with certain climates

Erosion is caused by: a. running water b. wind c. glaciers d. waves e. all of these

E. all of these

This type of mass movement involves blocks of materials moving along a rotational or curved surface. a. creep b. rockslide c. flow d. fall e. slump

E. slump

Runoff, water moving over the land surface, occurs when the amount of water falling exceeds infiltration rates. a. True b. False

a. True.

Perched water tables are separated from the main aquifer by: a. aquicludes b. porous conglomerates c. other aquifers d. porous sandstones

a. aquicludes.

Saltating sand is part of the: a. bedload b. suspended load c. dissolved load d. muddy load

a. bedload.

Smaller materials can be transported from one location to another by _____ processes. a. erosional b. weathering c. mass transit d. dislocation

a. erosional

Which would you expect to have a higher sediment yield? a. a draingage basin with shallow gradients b. a drainage basin with steeper gradients c. tributary stream covered with vegetation d. flat, dry watershed system

b. a drainage basin with steeper gradients.

When rivers deposit sediments along the coast, these can form: a. rills b. cliffs c. deltas d. alluvial fan

c. deltas

Water interception by vegetation depends in part on: a. the type of rocks b. the amount of organisms in the soil c. the structure of the plants d. the temperature

c. the structure of the plants.

What is the discharge of a river with an average depth of 2 meters, width of 3 meters and a flow velocity of 5 meters/second? a. 1.2 m/sec b. 7.5 m2/sec c. 3.0 m2/sec d. 30 m3/sec

d. 30 m3/sec.

Identify the erosional landform developed by streams. a. Mississippi delta b. Great Barrier Reef c. Colorado Plateau d. Grand Canyon

d. Grand Canyon.

If the sediment supply to a river increases so much that it overwhelms the ability of the stream to carry the sediment, then _____ will occur. a. transport b. erosion c. flooding d. aggradation

d. aggradation.

Factors influencing the velocity of a stream include: a. gradient b. depth of water in channel c. volume of water d. both a and b

d. both a and b.

The most effective and significant agent of erosion globally is: a. wind b. glaciers c. hurricanes d. running water e. coastal waves

d. running water

Which material exhibits the greatest infiltration rates? a. concrete b. clay c. granite rock d. sandy soil

d. sandy soil.

What feature is present where the water table intersects the Earth's surface? a. artesian well b. lake c. aquiclude d. spring e. aquifer

d. spring.

The upper unsaturated zone in the ground is termed the: a. saturated zone b. phreatic zone c. supersaturated zone d. vadose zone

d. vadose zone.

Which of the following influences rates of erosion in the drainage base? a. amount of precipitation b. relief c. lithology type d. human impacts e. all of these

e. all of these

In which sphere is water not present? a. lithosphere b. biosphere c. hydrosphere d. atmosphere e. none of the above

e. none of the above.