Final M/C questions

Question 1

What is the primary factor influencing the velocity of groundwater flow?
A) The volume of groundwater stored
B) The temperature of the water
C) The hydraulic gradient
D) The presence of hot springs

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin contains what percentage of North America’s surface fresh water?
A) 100%
B) 12%
C) 84%
D) 56%

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a cause of a flash flood?
A) Frozen ground preventing infiltration
B) Steep topography
C) Urban surfaces with low permeability
D) Low rainfall intensity over several months

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which feature is created when two alpine glaciers merge but debris remains between them?
A) Cirque
B) Lateral moraine
C) Medial moraine
D) Drumlin

Answer 4

C

Question 5

A drawdown in the water table around a heavily pumped well results in:
A) A saltwater intrusion
B) A cone of depression
C) A zone of aeration
D) A perched water table

Answer 5

B

Question 6

Which type of sand dune has tips pointing into the wind and is anchored by vegetation?
A) Barchan
B) Star
C) Parabolic
D) Transverse

Answer 6

C

Question 7

The most common drainage pattern, resembling a branching tree, is called:
A) Trellis
B) Radial
C) Dendritic
D) Rectangular

Answer 7

C

Question 8

A fjord forms when:
A) A glacier plucks rock from the valley sides
B) A U-shaped valley is filled by seawater
C) A stream carves a V-shaped canyon
D) A lateral moraine collapses

Answer 8

B

Question 9

Which desert feature results from deflation and leaves behind only coarse particles?
A) Yardang
B) Desert varnish
C) Blowout
D) Desert pavement

Answer 9

D

Question 10

An aquifer is best defined as:
A) A non-porous rock layer
B) A material that prevents water flow
C) A layer that stores and transmits groundwater freely
D) A dry zone above the water table

Answer 10

C

Question 11

The equilibrium line on a glacier divides:
A) Ice from meltwater
B) The brittle and plastic zones
C) Accumulation and ablation zones
D) Valley glaciers and piedmont glaciers

Answer 11

C

Question 12

A longshore current is primarily responsible for:
A) Melting glacial ice
B) Oceanic plate subduction
C) Lateral beach drift
D) Upwelling of deep water

Answer 12

C

Question 13

T/F: Urban areas are more susceptible to flash flooding because they have high surface permeability

Answer 13

False

Question 14

T/F: Artesian wells require a confined aquifer between two aquitards.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

T/F: The Sahara Desert is classified as a polar desert due to its low rainfall.

Answer 15

False

Question 16

T/F: Desert varnish forms due to the oxidation of iron-bearing silicate minerals.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

T/F: Glacier movement can result in plucking and abrasion, which are both erosional processes.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

T/F: Yardangs are wind-deposited ridges that form perpendicular to prevailing wind.

Answer 18

False

Question 19

T/F: A spit forms when longshore drift extends sand into the mouth of a bay.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

T/F: Sea stacks are created by deposition of sediment along headlands.

Answer 20

False

Question 21

Which statement about erosion in deserts is correct?

A) Wind erosion is the dominant force shaping deserts.
B) Water is infrequent and therefore has no geomorphic impact.
C) Most desert landforms are carved by infrequent but intense water events.
D) Desert landscapes are shaped solely by wind due to constant airflow.

Answer 21

C

Question 22

A yardang is best described as:

A) A polished stone with flat, wind-abraded faces
B) A shallow depression caused by deflation
C) A streamlined ridge aligned with prevailing wind
D) A mound of sand anchored by vegetation

Answer 22

C

Question 23

What distinguishes a parabolic dune from a barchan dune?

A) Parabolic dunes form only in deserts, barchans on coastlines
B) Parabolic dunes have arms that point upwind due to vegetation anchoring
C) Barchan dunes are found in vegetated areas with onshore winds
D) Barchans have straight arms, parabolic have curved slip faces

Answer 23

B

Question 24

Which statement about desert pavement is FALSE?
A) It is formed when wind removes fine particles, leaving coarse fragments
B) It is only one or two stone layers thick
C) It prevents further deflation once formed
D) It consists of wind-deposited sand dunes cemented over time

Answer 24

D

Question 25

The main role of wind in arid environments is: A) Carving deep canyons B) Dissolving mineral layers C) Transporting and depositing sediment D) Fueling convectional storms

Answer 25

C

Question 26

Which is NOT a depositional feature created by longshore drift? A) Tombolo B) Baymouth bar C) Spit D) Wave-cut platform

Answer 26

D

Question 27

Wave refraction leads to which of the following shoreline effects? A) Waves increase energy in bays and erode beach sediment B) Headlands are eroded while bays accumulate sediment C) Waves strike beaches perpendicularly regardless of shoreline shape D) Longshore currents stop moving sediment laterally

Answer 27

B

Question 28

A groin is built to: A) Connect an island to the mainland B) Redirect tidal currents C) Trap sand moving along the shore D) Absorb wave energy before it reaches a marina

Answer 28

C

Question 29

Loess deposits are primarily composed of: A) Large pebbles deposited by flash floods B) Sand from coastal beaches C) Windblown silt from deserts or glacial outwash D) Cemented dune material found in fjords

Answer 29

C

Question 30

Which of the following pairs is correctly matched? A) Jetties – built parallel to shore to reduce wave energy B) Seawalls – encourage natural beach building C) Breakwaters – protect harbours from wave force D) Longshore drift – flows perpendicular to shoreline

Answer 30

C

Question 31

A crescent-shaped dune with its tips pointing downwind. Forms where sand is limited and the ground is hard and flat

Answer 31

Barchan Dune

Question 32

Looks like a U or V, has arms pointing upwind. Formed in coastal areas with vegetation anchoring the dune edges

Answer 32

Parabolic Dune

Question 33

Forms long ridges aligned parallel to prevailing wind, often found in desert interiors with moderate sand supply and variable wind directions

Answer 33

Longitudinal Dune

Question 34

Solitary dunes shaped like multi-pointed stars; form in areas with complex, variable wind directions

Answer 34

Star Dune

Question 35

Series of wave-like dunes running perpendicular to the wind. Common where sand is plentiful and vegetation is sparse.

Answer 35

Transverse Dune

Question 36

A narrow ridge of sand that extends into a bay, often with a curved 'hook' at the end due to changing currents.

Answer 36

Spit

Question 37

A sandbar that completely seals off a bay from the open ocean

Answer 37

Baymouth Bar

Question 38

A ridge of sand that connects an island to the mainland or another island

Answer 38

Tombolo

Question 39

Flat, bench-like surface left behind as cliffs are eroded by wave action

Answer 39

Wave-cut platform

Question 40

Man-made structure built at a right angle to the shoreline, designed to trap sand moving in longshore drift.

Answer 40

Groin