Quiz 5 & 6

Approximately what percentage of the world's population lives near the ocean?

50%

Braided streams, such as the Brahmaputra River, are found in areas

a. where the load is higher than the capacity b. that are subject to new sediment from glaciers or landslides c. subject to sediment deposition on the river bed d. all of the above

The sandblasting action of wind-blown particles is called

abrasion

The construction of a dam across a river is likely to cause __________ upstream and __________ downstream.

aggradation; erosion

A cutoff on a meandering stream results in the formation of

an oxbow lake

A terrace is

an uplifted wave-cut platform.

Coral formations

are made of animals living symbiotically with simple algae.

A common crescent-shaped dune with horns pointed downwind is called a

barchan

The largest material that can be carried by a stream is carried as

bed load

Which of the following is an erosional feature formed by an alpine glacier?

hanging valley

The suspended load of a stream consists of particles that are

held aloft within the flow

Brackish water would most likely occur

in a deltaic swamp.

Consider the equation Q = wdv. According to the equation, if Q (discharge) remains constant, but w and d decrease (as when a channel becomes more narrow and shallow), the velocity will

increase

Sediment from valley sidewalls often forms __________ on the sides of glaciers and is transported down-valley by the glacier.

lateral moraine

A general term for the coastal environment is

littoral zone

The lengths of the individual channels in a dendritic drainage pattern are __________ and this increases energy __________.

minimized; efficiency

A central peak,such as a volcanic mountain, generally produces a __________ drainage pattern.

radial

When overland flow becomes concentrated on an interfluve, it creates small grooves called __________, which can enlarge to form __________ if erosion of the slope is not controlled.

rills; gullies

Which of the following is not an example of a depositional coastal landform?

sea stack

A dune that is the mountainous giant of the sandy deserts is called a

star

Which of the following is NOT an erosional feature formed by an alpine glacier?

terminal morraine

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

Amazon River

Why does stream bed sediment tend to get smaller further downstream?

Because it has been subjected to more abrasion further downstream

An atoll is approximately __________ in shape because it forms __________

circular; around submerged volcanic islands

Watersheds are defined by

drainage divides

Near the shore, waves of transition begin to "feel bottom" and, as a result, the orbits of the water molecules in the wave become more __________. This process eventually causes __________ to form.

elliptical; breakers

An extensive area of sand and sand dunes is known as a(n)

erg desert

The term eolian refers to

erosion, transportation, and deposition by the wind.

Snow that has a compact, granular structure is known as

firn

For purposes of discussing eolian processes, the wind acts like a

fluid

Small particles are difficult for wind to move because

they tend to be cohesive.

An earthquake, submarine landslide, or eruption of an undersea volcano is capable of producing a

tsunami

Which of the following is NOT a fluvial depositional landform?

v-shaped valley

Rocks that appear pitted and grooved, and sometimes polished smooth by eolian processes, are termed

ventifacts

Wave action works to straighten a coast as wave energy focuses around headlands and tends to disperse energy in coves and bays in a process called

wave refraction.

Which of the following lists of processes are in the correct sequence as to their occurrence in nature?

weathering, erosion, transport, deposition

The discharge (Q) of a river equals:

width*depth*velocity

Elongated, streamlined ridges aligned parallel to the most effective wind direction are called

yardangs

Desert pavement refers to

surfaces of concentrated pebbles and gravels.

Drainage density refers to

the length of all the the channels divided by the area of its drainage basin