Question 1

What is the mostly likely setting for this drainage pattern?

Accepted Answer

A) the rocks have a relatively equal resistance to erosion 
B) drainages have followed a series of fractures that branch off of one another 
C) the area has folded or faulted rocks with different resistances to erosion 
D) a volcano once existed here but has been partly eroded away 
A) the rocks have a relatively equal resistance to erosion 
B) drainages have followed a series of fractures that branch off of one another 
C) the area has folded or faulted rocks with different resistances to erosion 
D) a volcano once existed here but has been partly eroded away

Question 2

Which of the following statements about streams is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A) base level is the lowest elevation to which a stream can erode 
B) a steep stream high above base level generally will be eroding its channel 
C) some streams can simply transport material instead of eroding or depositing material 
D) streams typically do not respond to a change in climate 
A) base level is the lowest elevation to which a stream can erode 
B) a steep stream high above base level generally will be eroding its channel 
C) some streams can simply transport material instead of eroding or depositing material 
D) streams typically do not respond to a change in climate

Question 3

Which of the features on this aerial photograph represents the former position of a meander?

Accepted Answer

A) A 
B) B 
C) C 
D) D 
E) both C and D 
A) A 
B) B 
C) C 
D) D 
E) both C and D

Question 4

This figure shows four numbered river terraces,with 1 being the highest and 4 being the lowest.Which is the oldest terrace?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4

Question 5

What happens to water velocity downstream? It generally:

Accepted Answer

A) Decreases 
B) remains the same 
C) increases 
D) there is no way to tell because discharge cannot be determined 
A) Decreases 
B) remains the same 
C) increases 
D) there is no way to tell because discharge cannot be determined

Question 6

Based on the accompanying hydrograph,what was the stream discharge when the data period shown in the graph ended?

Accepted Answer

A) 1.8 meters per second 
B) 4 meters per second 
C) 4 cubic meters per second 
D) 9 cubic meters per second 
E) 10 cubic meters per second 
A) 1.8 meters per second 
B) 4 meters per second 
C) 4 cubic meters per second 
D) 9 cubic meters per second 
E) 10 cubic meters per second

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT associated with many braided streams?

Accepted Answer

A) an abundant supply of sediment 
B) a broad sediment-covered plain 
C) a range of sediment sizes,including sand and gravel 
D) cutoff meanders 
A) an abundant supply of sediment 
B) a broad sediment-covered plain 
C) a range of sediment sizes,including sand and gravel 
D) cutoff meanders

Question 8

On this graph of discharge versus season for a river in the Rocky Mountains,why is the highest runoff likely to be in the spring?

Accepted Answer

A) winter snow melts in the spring 
B) the Rocky Mountains have many tornadoes during the spring 
C) the Rocky Mountains experience hurricanes in the spring 
D) all of these 
A) winter snow melts in the spring 
B) the Rocky Mountains have many tornadoes during the spring 
C) the Rocky Mountains experience hurricanes in the spring 
D) all of these

Question 9

In this landscape,choose the location that you think would be best for agricultural fields.

Accepted Answer

A) Location A 
B) Location B 
C) Location C 
D) Location D 
E) Location E 
A) Location A 
B) Location B 
C) Location C 
D) Location D 
E) Location E

Question 10

Compared with curve 2 on this hydrograph,what is a possible explanation for curve 1?

Accepted Answer

A) the basin for curve 1 has steeper slopes than the basin for curve 2 
B) the storm recorded by curve 1 was shorter and more intense than the storm represented by curve 2 
C) curve 1 shows the same area as curve 2 but after urbanization 
D) all of these are possible 
A) the basin for curve 1 has steeper slopes than the basin for curve 2 
B) the storm recorded by curve 1 was shorter and more intense than the storm represented by curve 2 
C) curve 1 shows the same area as curve 2 but after urbanization 
D) all of these are possible

Question 11

If a stream drops 15 meters in 15 kilometers,what is its gradient?

Accepted Answer

A) 100% 
B) 1 meter per kilometer 
C) 15 meters per kilometer 
D) 15 kilometers per meter 
E) none of these 
A) 100% 
B) 1 meter per kilometer 
C) 15 meters per kilometer 
D) 15 kilometers per meter 
E) none of these

Question 12

What is the pattern of discharge shown by this hydrograph?

Accepted Answer

A) discharge gradually increases and quickly decreases 
B) discharge quickly increases and gradually decreases 
C) discharge gradually decreases and quickly increases 
D) discharges quickly decreases and gradually increases 
A) discharge gradually increases and quickly decreases 
B) discharge quickly increases and gradually decreases 
C) discharge gradually decreases and quickly increases 
D) discharges quickly decreases and gradually increases

Question 13

In the accompanying hydrograph for major river,a flood was caused by a single episode of heavy rainfall 50 kilometers upstream.When did the rain most likely occur?

Accepted Answer

A) at time A 
B) at time B 
C) at time C 
D) at time D 
A) at time A 
B) at time B 
C) at time C 
D) at time D

Question 14

Using this plot of annual peak discharge,what is the probability each year that a flood of 1,000 cubic meters per second will occur?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 in 1,000,or 0.01% 
B) 1 in 100,or 1% (100-year flood) 
C) between 10 and 20% 
D) more than 20% 
A) 1 in 1,000,or 0.01% 
B) 1 in 100,or 1% (100-year flood) 
C) between 10 and 20% 
D) more than 20%

Question 15

Construction of a dam results in:

Accepted Answer

A) an increase in the total amount of water flowing downstream of the dam 
B) increased erosion by clear water released from the dam 
C) the dam releasing water that contains more sediment than carried by the river before the dam was constructed 
D) increased erosion where the stream channel meets the reservoir 
A) an increase in the total amount of water flowing downstream of the dam 
B) increased erosion by clear water released from the dam 
C) the dam releasing water that contains more sediment than carried by the river before the dam was constructed 
D) increased erosion where the stream channel meets the reservoir

Question 16

Which of the following is true of a 100-year flood?

Accepted Answer

A) a 100-year flood occurs every 100 years on a given stream 
B) the probability of a 100-year flood occurring on any given year is 1:100 
C) a 100-year flood cannot occur twice within 10 years 
D) the probability of a 100-year flood is related to how recently the last 100-year flood occurred 
A) a 100-year flood occurs every 100 years on a given stream 
B) the probability of a 100-year flood occurring on any given year is 1:100 
C) a 100-year flood cannot occur twice within 10 years 
D) the probability of a 100-year flood is related to how recently the last 100-year flood occurred

Question 17

The size of clasts that a stream can carry is primarily controlled by:

Accepted Answer

A) the water temperature 
B) the dissolved and suspended load of a stream 
C) how close the stream is to the ocean 
D) the velocity and turbulence of the current 
E) whether it is a permanent or ephemeral stream 
A) the water temperature 
B) the dissolved and suspended load of a stream 
C) how close the stream is to the ocean 
D) the velocity and turbulence of the current 
E) whether it is a permanent or ephemeral stream

Question 18

What could cause a canyon to be deeper upstream than downstream?

Accepted Answer

A) the area upstream could be uplifted more than areas downstream 
B) the area upstream is higher above base level and so results in deep erosion 
C) a steeper gradient allows more erosion upstream 
D) all of these 
A) the area upstream could be uplifted more than areas downstream 
B) the area upstream is higher above base level and so results in deep erosion 
C) a steeper gradient allows more erosion upstream 
D) all of these

Question 19

Which of the following does NOT influence whether sediment is picked up by a stream?

Accepted Answer

A) size and density of the sediment 
B) turbulence of the moving water 
C) location of the sediment in the stream 
D) whether the stream flows north-south or east-west 
A) size and density of the sediment 
B) turbulence of the moving water 
C) location of the sediment in the stream 
D) whether the stream flows north-south or east-west

Question 20

The lowest notch shown on this figure is 9 meters wide and 5 meters high from its base.The river has a velocity of 1 meter per second when it fills the notch.Based on the accompanying graph,what is the probability each year that the notch will be filled to the top?

Accepted Answer

A) 90 to 95% 
B) 60 to 80% 
C) 40 to 45% 
D) less than 40% 
E) none of these 
A) 90 to 95% 
B) 60 to 80% 
C) 40 to 45% 
D) less than 40% 
E) none of these

What is the mostly likely setting for this drainage pattern?

Which of the following statements about streams is NOT true?

Which of the features on this aerial photograph represents the former position of a meander?

This figure shows four numbered river terraces,with 1 being the highest and 4 being the lowest.Which is the oldest terrace?

What happens to water velocity downstream? It generally:

Based on the accompanying hydrograph,what was the stream discharge when the data period shown in the graph ended?

Which of the following is NOT associated with many braided streams?

On this graph of discharge versus season for a river in the Rocky Mountains,why is the highest runoff likely to be in the spring?

In this landscape,choose the location that you think would be best for agricultural fields.

Compared with curve 2 on this hydrograph,what is a possible explanation for curve 1?

If a stream drops 15 meters in 15 kilometers,what is its gradient?

What is the pattern of discharge shown by this hydrograph?

In the accompanying hydrograph for major river,a flood was caused by a single episode of heavy rainfall 50 kilometers upstream.When did the rain most likely occur?

Using this plot of annual peak discharge,what is the probability each year that a flood of 1,000 cubic meters per second will occur?

Construction of a dam results in:

Which of the following is true of a 100-year flood?

The size of clasts that a stream can carry is primarily controlled by:

What could cause a canyon to be deeper upstream than downstream?

Which of the following does NOT influence whether sediment is picked up by a stream?

The lowest notch shown on this figure is 9 meters wide and 5 meters high from its base.The river has a velocity of 1 meter per second when it fills the notch.Based on the accompanying graph,what is the probability each year that the notch will be filled to the top?

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Exam 16: Streams and Flooding

What is the mostly likely setting for this drainage pattern?

Which of the following statements about streams is NOT true?

Which of the features on this aerial photograph represents the former position of a meander?

This figure shows four numbered river terraces,with 1 being the highest and 4 being the lowest.Which is the oldest terrace?

What happens to water velocity downstream? It generally:

Based on the accompanying hydrograph,what was the stream discharge when the data period shown in the graph ended?

Which of the following is NOT associated with many braided streams?

On this graph of discharge versus season for a river in the Rocky Mountains,why is the highest runoff likely to be in the spring?

In this landscape,choose the location that you think would be best for agricultural fields.

Compared with curve 2 on this hydrograph,what is a possible explanation for curve 1?

If a stream drops 15 meters in 15 kilometers,what is its gradient?

What is the pattern of discharge shown by this hydrograph?

In the accompanying hydrograph for major river,a flood was caused by a single episode of heavy rainfall 50 kilometers upstream.When did the rain most likely occur?

Using this plot of annual peak discharge,what is the probability each year that a flood of 1,000 cubic meters per second will occur?

Construction of a dam results in:

Which of the following is true of a 100-year flood?

The size of clasts that a stream can carry is primarily controlled by:

What could cause a canyon to be deeper upstream than downstream?

Which of the following does NOT influence whether sediment is picked up by a stream?

The lowest notch shown on this figure is 9 meters wide and 5 meters high from its base.The river has a velocity of 1 meter per second when it fills the notch.Based on the accompanying graph,what is the probability each year that the notch will be filled to the top?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

The Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate, weather, and Their Influences on Geology

Glaciers, shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, soil, and Unstable Slopes

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters