Chapter 7 Section 2 Flashcards
(28 cards)
Water that moves over Earth’s surface.
runoff
What is the major agent of erosion that has shaped Earth’s land surface?
water
Because of gravity, runoff and the material it contains move downhill. As runoff travels, it forms tiny grooves in the soil called ______.
rills
When many rills flow into one another, they grow larger, forming _________.
gullies
A large groove, or channel, in the soil that carries runoff after a rainstorm.
gully
A channel along which water is continually flowing down a slope.
stream
Gullies join together to form a larger channel called a _________.
stream
A stream or river that flows into a larger river.
tributary
Through erosion, what all can rivers create?
valleys, waterfalls, flood plains, meanders, and oxbow lakes.
These may occur where a river meets an area of rock that is very hard and erodes slowly.
waterfall
The flat, wide area of land along a river.
flood plain
A loop-like bend in the course of a river.
meander
A meander that has been cut off from the river.
oxbow lake
What types of landforms can deposition create?
alluvial fans and deltas. Deltas can also add soil to a river’s flood plain.
A wide, sloping deposit of sediment formed where a stream leaves a mountain range.
alluvial fan
A landform build from sediment deposited where a river flows into an ocean or lake.
delta
The term geologists use for underground water.
groundwater
The process where groundwater causes erosion.
chemical weathering
A deposit that hangs like an icicle from the roof of a cave.
stalactite
Slow dripping builds up a cone-shaped form from the floor of a cave.
stalagmite
In rainy regions where there is a layer of limestone near the surface, groundwater erosion can significantly change the shape of the land. This may create deep valleys and caverns underground which can lead to sink holes.
karst topography
What is the major agent of erosion on earth’s surface?
water
Where would gullies be more likely to form? a field with plowed soil and no plants or a field covered with thick grass?
A field with plowed soil and not plants. A field with thick grass is protected from the water and its much harder for soil to wash it away.
What are five features that erosion forms along a river?
valleys, waterfalls, flood plains, meanders, and oxbow lakes.