geo final study guide (quiz questions and answers)

Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of A) higher mean annual rainfall and temperatures. B) lower mean annual rainfall and temperatures. C) temperatures below freezing. D) rainfall of less than 25 cm (10 in) per year.

A) higher mean annual rainfall and temperatures.

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that as distance from the equator increases, seasonal variation in temperature tends to A) increase. B) decrease. C) remain constant.

A) increase.

Greenhouse gases act to ________ temperatures by ________ thermal infrared radiation. A) increase; trapping B) increase; reflecting C) decrease; blocking D) decrease; trapping

A) increase; trapping

When rock is broken and disintegrated without dissolving, the process in operation is A) physical weathering. B) chemical weathering. C) hydrolysis. D) carbonation.

A) physical weathering.

A central peak, or a dome of a volcanic mountain, generally produces ________ drainage patterns. A) radial B) trellis C) parallel D) annular

A) radial

"Hot and wet" temperature and precipitation patterns are characteristic of A) rain forests in the equatorial tropics. B) humid continental climates that have mild summers. C) highland climates. D) cold steppe climates.

A) rain forests in the equatorial tropics.

A genetic classification system can be based on, among other factors, ________. A) the interaction of air masses B) statistics or other data used to determine general categories C) mean annual temperature D) mean annual precipitation

A) the interaction of air masses

Of the world's largest rivers, which has the greatest discharge? A) Zaire (Congo) River B) Amazon River C) Missouri-‐‐Ohio-‐‐Mississippi river system D) Chang Chiang (Yangtze) of Asia

B) Amazon River

Which is FALSE regarding the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports? A) They state that global temperatures are expected to continue to rise under all climate models. B) They show the lack of scientific agreement about whether the climate is changing. C) They state that glacial ice is melting worldwide, and river and lake ice is melting sooner in the spring. D) They include new and stronger evidence that most of global warming is human caused. E) The Fourth Assessment Report was authored by 450 lead authors, 800 contributing authors, and 2500 scientific expert reviewers.

B) They show the lack of scientific agreement about whether the climate is changing.

After a threshold is crossed, the landscape A) remains unstable thereafter. B) adjusts to a new equilibrium condition. C) looks identical to the landscape that existed prior to the crossing of the threshold. D) Any of these are equally likely to occur.

B) adjusts to a new equilibrium condition.

The steepness of a slope of loose material at rest is the A) height of the slope. B) angle of repose. C) mass movement gradient. D) the speed of the particles.

B) angle of repose.

Which of the following stream channel forms is likely to develop when aggradation greatly exceeds erosion? A) V-shaped valleys B) braided channels C) meandering channels D) straight, steep-walled channels

B) braided channels

As base level is approached by a stream, the ability of a stream to erode its bed A) increases. B) decreases. C) remains constant.

B) decreases.

Watersheds are defined by A) continental divides. B) drainage divides. C) stream orders. D) fluvial units.

B) drainage divides.

The most extensive climate types over land, dominating 35 percent of Earth's landarea, are ________ climates. A) tropical B) dry arid and semiarid C) mesothermal D) microthermal

B) dry arid and semiarid

The suspended load of a stream consists of particles that are A) rolled and bounced along the stream bed. B) held aloft in the stream flow. C) dragged along the stream bed. D) in solution.

B) held aloft in the stream flow.

Which of the following is a type of chemical weathering process? A) exfoliation B) hydrolysis C) salt crystal growth D) frost wedging

B) hydrolysis

A translational slide involves A) rotational movement of surface material. B) movement of surface material along a planar surface. C) unconsolidated flow of material. D) mudflow.

B) movement of surface material along a planar surface.

Uplift of the landscape creates ________ energy which is converted to ________ energy when materials begin to move downslope. A) kinetic; potential B) potential; kinetic C) potential; chemical D) kinetic; chemical

B) potential; kinetic

The warmest years in the history of weather instruments were A) recorded during the period 1910 to 1921. B) recorded during the last two decades. C) observed in the 1880s and 1890s. D) recorded in the first half of this century.

B) recorded during the last two decades.

A persistent mass movement of surface soil is called a A) debris avalanche. B) soil creep. C) soil slide. D) rockfall.

B) soil creep.

The dry season in the tropical monsoon climate occurs when A) cold air masses dominate the region. B) the ITCZ is not overhead. C) the ITCZ is overhead. D) cold ocean currents shift into the region.

B) the ITCZ is not overhead.

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that areas dominated by maritime air masses will be relatively ________, and that those dominated by cT air masses will be relatively ________. A) wet; wet B) wet; dry C) dry; wet D) dry; dry

B) wet; dry

Which of the following is correctly matched? A) (b): dendritic B) (e): deranged C) (d): parallel D) (c): annular

C) (d): parallel

Which of the following is correctly matched? A) 1: Dry B) 5: Tropical C) 2: Mesothermal D) 4: Highland

C) 2: Mesothermal

One side of a sand dune is typically steeper than the other side. The slope of the steepest is controlled by the angle of repose for sand—which has a value that is typical for most materials. This angle is about ________. A) 5 degrees B) 15 degrees C) 34 degrees D) 78 degrees

C) 34 degrees

Which of the following countries is noted for its spectacular tower karst? A) Russia B) the U.S. C) China D) France

C) China

In 1973, part of the flat ground on which a subdivision was located became saturated and began to flow toward the Saint Lawrence River at speeds of up to 26 kmph (16 mph). The ground that flowed consisted of silts and clays—not large, rocky regolith. What type of mass wasting event was this? A) debris avalanche B) soil creep C) Earth flow D) lahar

C) Earth flow

Rivers east of the continental divide in the Rockies drain into the A) Pacific drainage. B) Hudson Bay/Arctic drainage. C) Gulf/Atlantic drainage. D) interior West drainage.

C) Gulf/Atlantic drainage.

Which of the following is true of the longitudinal profile of most rivers? A) It always changes at a constant rate from the headwater region to the sea. B) It is convex in shape. C) It is concave in shape. D) It is gentle upstream and steep downstream.

C) It is concave in shape.

Which climatic region contains and feeds the greatest number of people in the world? A) Tropical Rain Forest B) Tropical Savanna C) Mesothermal D) Microthermal

C) Mesothermal

The largest percentage of Earth's population lives within the A) Tropical climates. B) Dry, Arid, and Semiarid climates. C) Mesothermal climates. D) Microthermal climates.

C) Mesothermal climates.

Other than the rock itself, the most important chemical substance needed for the majority of weathering processes is A) oxygen. B) nitrogen. C) water. D) carbon dioxide.

C) water.

Which of the following is not a consequence of a potential global warming over the next century? A) Poleward climate region shift of 150-‐‐550 km (90 -‐‐350 mi.). B) An average of 30% of forests will undergo major species shifts. C) Tropical diseases will spread to the subtropics and midlatitudes. D) High latitude ice fields will gradually increase in thickness and area. E) Sea level rise of .18-‐‐.59 m (7.1-‐‐23.2 in.).

D) High latitude ice fields will gradually increase in thickness and area.

Which of the following lists the correct, generalized sequence of climates from the poles to the equator? A) Highland → Microthermal → Mesothermal → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid→ Tropical B) Highland → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar C) Tropical → Mesothermal → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid → Microthermal → Polar D) Polar → Microthermal → Mesothermal → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid → Tropical E) Polar → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Tropical

D) Polar → Microthermal → Mesothermal → Dry, Arid, and Semiarid → Tropical

A cutoff on a meandering stream results in the formation of A) an oxbow lake. B) a levee. C) a point bar. D) a terrace.

A) an oxbow lake.

The degradation of a landscape by weathering, erosion, and transportation has an ultimate "goal" of reducing the landscape down to A) base level, namely sea level. B) continental shelf. C) the mountain tops. D) valley level.

A) base level, namely sea level.

The largest material that can be carried by a stream is carried as A) bed load. B) suspended load. C) dissolved load. D) truck load.

A) bed load.

The total possible load a stream can transport is its ________, whereas a stream's ability to move particles of specific size is its ________. A) capacity; competence B) competence; capacity C) discharge; competence D) bed load; sediment load

A) capacity; competence

Karst topography is formed primarily by A) carbonic acid solution. B) mass wasting processes. C) oxidation and hydrolysis. D) exfoliation and hydration.

A) carbonic acid solution.

Natural levees are created during A) floods. B) normal flow conditions. C) low flow conditions. D) None of the above—all levees are manmade.

A) floods.

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that the annual temperature range of places located in the interior of a continent is ________ those located along the coast at the same latitude. A) greater than B) less than C) the same as

A) greater than

The dynamic equilibrium model refers to A) a balancing act between tectonic uplift and rates of reduction in a given landscape. B) a theory involving the cyclic or evolutionary development of a landscape. C) a sequential development of landforms. D) an important concept first stated by John Powell.

A) a balancing act between tectonic uplift and rates of reduction in a given landscape.

Movement at the geomorphic threshold signals A) a conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. B) a conversion of kinetic energy to chemical energy. C) frictional resistance overcoming the degree of cohesion. D) a lack of change.

A) a conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy.

The general term for clay, silt, and sand deposited by running water is A) alluvium. B) dirt. C) soil. D) mud.

A) alluvium.

Which of the following is false regarding Marine West Coast climates? A) They are dominated by mP air masses. B) The air masses in this region are unstable. C) These climates experience very cold winters because of their high latitude (about 45 degrees to 55 degrees north). D) The weather is quite unpredictable.

C) These climates experience very cold winters because of their high latitude (about 45 degrees to 55 degrees north).

The bulk of the Amazon River drainage basin is dominated by which one of the following climate classifications? A) Tropical Monsoon B) Tropical Savanna C) Tropical Rain Forest D) Humid Subtropical, Hot Summer Climates, Moist All Year

C) Tropical Rain Forest

The construction of a dam across a river is likely to cause ________ upstream and ________ downstream. A) erosion; aggradation B) erosion; erosion C) aggradation; erosion D) aggradation; aggradation

C) aggradation; erosion

Potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation in all parts of which climate type? A) tropical savanna B) Mediterranean C) all dry, arid, and semiarid climates D) polar

C) all dry, arid, and semiarid climates

The maximum velocity line in a stream is A) near the bottom. B) near the inside of a meander. C) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the deepest parts of the stream channel. D) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the shallowest parts of the stream channel.

C) at the center and near the surface, corresponding with the deepest parts of the stream channel.

The gas that is thought to be responsible for more than half of the anthropogenic warming of the atmosphere is A) methane. B) water vapor. C) carbon dioxide. D) CFCs.

C) carbon dioxide.

Stream-related processes are termed A) hydrological. B) geomorphological. C) fluvial. D) erosion.

C) fluvial.

The science that specifically studies the origin, evolution, form, and spatial distribution of landforms is A) geology. B) geography. C) geomorphology. D) environmental chemistry.

C) geomorphology.

In which of the following climates would the subsurface line of contact between weathered and unweathered materials be at the greatest depth? A) cold and wet B) cold and dry C) hot and wet D) hot and dry

C) hot and wet

Greenhouse gasses act to increase temperatures by absorbing and releasing A) shortwave energy travelling from Earth into space. B) shortwave energy from entering Earth's energy system. C) longwave energy travelling from Earth into space. D) longwave energy from entering Earth's energy system.

C) longwave energy travelling from Earth into space.

All unit movement of materials propelled and controlled by gravity are referred to as A) lahars. B) downslope flows. C) mass movements or mass wasting. D) slides.

C) mass movements or mass wasting.

In the Northern hemisphere mid-latitudes, slopes that face ________ have more trees on them because ________. A) south; they receive more direct sunshine for photosynthesis B) south; they receive more rainfall C) north; they are more moist D) north; they receive more direct sunshine

C) north; they are more moist

Exfoliation occurs because A) water combines with minerals and increases their size, thereby causing surrounding minerals to pop out of the rock matrix. B) water freezes in joints and expands. C) overlying rock is removed, thereby allowing the underlying rock mass to expand. D) All of these are possible causes of exfoliation.

C) overlying rock is removed, thereby allowing the underlying rock mass to expand.

"Cold and dry" temperature and precipitation patterns are characteristic of A) subtropical latitudes. B) humid continental climates that have mild summers. C) polar climates. D) taiga regions that have cool summers.

C) polar climates.

The dramatic domes and arch-shaped features found in granitic mountain masses result from A) solution processes. B) frost-wedging. C) pressure-release jointing, exfoliation, and sheeting. D) spheroidal weathering.

C) pressure-release jointing, exfoliation, and sheeting.

The ultimate base level is A) an interior basin. B) a dam. C) sea level. D) all of these

C) sea level.

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that if Earth's axial tilt were to decrease from 23.5 degrees to 21.5 degrees A) winters would become colder. B) summers would become hotter. C) seasonal temperatures would become less extreme. D) temperatures would not change at all from season to season.

C) seasonal temperatures would become less extreme.

The weathering of limestone can create circular depressions known as A) uvalas. B) stalactites. C) sinkholes. D) caverns.

C) sinkholes.

Climate is... A) the weather of a region. B) the short-‐‐term condition of the atmosphere. C) the long-‐‐term condition of the atmosphere. D) a reference to temperature patterns only.

C) the long-term condition of the atmosphere.

An empirical classification is based on, among other factors, ________. A) the interaction of air masses B) the origin or genesis of the climate C) the mean annual temperature and precipitation of an area D) causative factors

C) the mean annual temperature and precipitation of an area

Stream capture refers to A) the legal process by which a state secures rights to the waters of a river basin. B) the merging of two streams flowing in the same valley. C) the process by which one channel erodes through a drainage divide and captures the headwater regions of another stream. D) the illegal withdrawal of water from a river.

C) the process by which one channel erodes through a drainage divide and captures the headwater regions of another stream.

Hydrolysis involves A) no actual chemical change in minerals. B) water being added to a mineral leading to swelling and stress in rock. C) water chemically combining with minerals. D) hydraulic action of water between rocks.

C) water chemically combining with minerals.

Which of the following are the principal active agents involved in chemical weathering? A) oxygen, silicon, aluminum B) magnesium, water, limestone C) water, oxygen, carbon dioxide D) nitrogen, oxygen, argon

C) water, oxygen, carbon dioxide

Which of the following is likely to occur if the gradient of a stream increases? (Assume that the discharge and sediment load remain unchanged.) A) The stream will begin to deposit more of its load. B) The amount of aggradation in the channel will increase. C) The amount of bed load transport will decrease. D) The stream will begin to erode its channel and/or its banks.

D) The stream will begin to erode its channel and/or its banks.

Which of the following is false regarding floodplains? A) They are formed by recurrent flooding in the area adjacent to the stream. B) Natural levees on either side of a stream are formed during times when the stream is at flood stage and overflows the bank. C) They are generally low-lying areas. D) They are characterized by rapids and low waterfalls.

D) They are characterized by rapids and low waterfalls.

As the discharge of a stream increases, which of the following also happens? A) Stream channels narrow, become shallower, and lose velocity. B) The rate of flow decreases. C) Channel width increases but channel depth decreases. D) Width, depth, and velocity all increase.

D) Width, depth, and velocity all increase.

If material is to move downslope, it must overcome the force of A) friction. B) the cohesion of particles to each other. C) inertial resistance of the material. D) all of these

D) all of these

Landslides occur when A) a threshold is reached. B) the internal friction is overcome by the force of gravity. C) when driving forces exceed resisting forces. D) all of these E) a threshold is reached and internal friction is overcome by gravity only.

D) all of these

Stream drainage patterns are determined by which of the following? A) slope B) differing rock resistance C) climatic and hydrologic variability D) all of these

D) all of these

The Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. is a moist environment because of A) the effect of maritime air masses. B) the presence of mountains. C) the predominant direction the winds blow at that latitude (about 45 to 50 degrees north). D) all of these E) maritime air and mountains only.

D) all of these

Which of the following can initiate hillslope failure? A) making a roadcut in the side of a hill B) increasing the slope angle C) excessively watering a slope D) all of these

D) all of these

As a stream's carrying capacity decreases, which of the following sizes of sediments will be deposited last? A) gravel B) sand C) silt D) clay

D) clay

The effect of urbanization on a typical stream hydrograph is to A) create a base flow. B) increase lag time between storm peak and peak stream discharge. C) decrease runoff. D) decrease lag time between storm peak and peak stream discharge.

D) decrease lag time between storm peak and peak stream discharge.

Which of the following stream channel types is likely to develop on gently sloping surfaces composed of rocks or sediments with approximately the same resistance to erosion? (Also assume that there are no structural controls on the pattern's development.) A) radial B) annular C) deranged D) dendritic

D) dendritic

The glaciated shield regions of Canada and northern Europe have disrupted surface drainage patterns that are called ________ patterns. A) trellis B) parallel C) annular D) deranged

D) deranged

Rectangular drainage patterns form as a result of ________. A) differential resistance to erosion B) domal uplift C) flow through anticlinal and synclinal topography D) flow through a faulted landscape

D) flow through a faulted landscape

The fact that water expands as much as 9 percent of its volume as it freezes is the basis of A) chemical weathering processes. B) pressure-release jointing. C) crystallization. D) frost wedging. (Although this is not how frost cracking works)

D) frost wedging. (Although this is not how frost cracking works)

An interruption in a stream's graded profile of equilibrium is called a A) gradation. B) longitudinal interruption. C) base level. D) nickpoint.

D) nickpoint.

In which of the following areas would the least amount of precipitation occur? A) in areas affected by maritime air masses B) along windward coasts C) in low-‐‐pressure regions D) on the leeward side of a mountain range in the interior of a continent

D) on the leeward side of a mountain range in the interior of a continent

Which type of weathering is limited to arid environments? A) exfoliation B) frost wedging C) hydrolysis D) salt-crystal growth E) carbonic acid solution

D) salt-crystal growth

Stream transport involves all of the following except A) saltation. B) bed load. C) traction. D) sheet flow.

D) sheet flow.

In the Andes Mountains of South America, entire towns of thousands of people have been buried suddenly when snow fell from high on a mountain side, melted on impact, and then mixed with loose materials that traveled downhill as a viscous fluid. This type of catastrophic event is known as a A) lahar. B) slump. C) rock fall. D) slide. E) debris avalanche.

D) slide.

Physical weathering is greatest under conditions of A) lower temperatures and higher precipitation. B) higher temperatures and precipitation, wetter, warmer climates. C) a lack of moisture at the surface. D) temperatures that reach below freezing.

D) temperatures that reach below freezing.

Which of the following landforms is incorrectly matched with a drainage pattern? A) volcano — radial B) folded mountain belt — trellis C) eroded dome — annular D) topographically disrupted areas — parallel

D) topographically disrupted areas — parallel

Which drainage pattern is controlled by rock structures of variable resistance and folded strata? A) radial B) dendritic C) deranged D) trellis

D) trellis

Which of the following lists of processes are in the correct sequence as to their occurrence in nature? A) deposition, erosion, transport, weathering B) weathering, erosion, deposition, transport C) weathering, deposition, erosion, transport D) weathering, erosion, transport, deposition

D) weathering, erosion, transport, deposition

The disintegration and dissolving of surface and subsurface rock is called A) erosion. B) mass wasting. C) landmass denudation. D) weathering.

D) weathering.

John Wesley Powell put forward the idea of base level, which refers to A) an imagined surface that extends inland from sea level, and is inclined gently upward. B) a level below which a stream cannot erode its valley. C) an evolutionary cycle of landscape development. D) flat plateaus. E) Both A and B are correct.

E) Both A and B are correct

Which of these statements is/are true regarding carbon dioxide? A) CO2 levels are now 31% higher than before the Industrial Revolution. B) The rate of increase is greater than any time in the last 20,000 years, while the total amount is greater than any time in the last 420,000 years. C) It is responsible for 64% of global warming. D) Global emissions in 2000 were 400% greater than in 1950, and the U.S. produced 24% of that total. E) They are all true.

E) They are all true.

Which of these statements is/are true regarding carbon dioxide? A) CO2 levels are now 33% higher than before the Industrial Revolution. B) The total amount is greater than any time in the last 800,000 years. C) The rate of increase is increasing. D) The U.S. produced 24% of global carbon dioxide. E) They are all true.

E) They are all true.

Global climate change A) has been linked to floods, droughts, and record high temperatures. B) in the next 50 years is expected to be greater than the last 18,000 years combined. C) is affecting weather patterns, plant and animal distributions, and melting glaciers. D) has increased the spread of infectious diseases. E) all of these

E) all of these

Global climate change A) has been dominated by global warming. B) includes shifting climate zones. C) is linked to rising sea levels. D) is evidenced by melting glaciers worldwide. E) all of these

E) all of these

If you have ever played on a beach and made a sand castle, you used wet sand rather than dry sand. You did this because the ________ of wet sand is greater than that of dry sand. A) angle of repose B) cohesiveness C) gravity D) cohesiveness and gravity E) angle of repose and cohesiveness

E) angle of repose and cohesiveness

The yellow-red stains that occur on some rock surfaces are the result of ________, which is a form of ________ weathering. A) hydration; physical B) hydration; chemical C) solution; chemical D) oxidation; physical E) oxidation; chemical

E) oxidation; chemical

The rate at which rocks weather depends upon A) the climate of an area. B) the type of rock. C) the amount of vegetation in an area. D) all of these E) the climate of an area and the type of rock only.

E) the climate of an area and the type of rock only.