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GEOL-1403 > Lesson 13; Running Water > Flashcards

Lesson 13; Running Water Flashcards

1
Q

What is Earth’s water distribution; ocean vs. fresh vs. surface

A

Oceans make up 96.5% of the Earth’s water
Freshwater make up 2.5% of Earth’s water
Surface water makes up 1.3% of the Earth’s water

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2
Q

What term is used by geologists for a running body of water?

A

A stream

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3
Q

Define drainage basin.

A

the area drained by a stream

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4
Q

Define divide.

A

an imaginary line separating one basin from another; sometimes it is visible as a high ridge in a mountainous region, and othertimes it is hard to determine.

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5
Q

What is a continental divide?

A

splitting of a continent into different drainage basins

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6
Q

Define tributary.

A

a smaller stream that flows into a bigger stream

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7
Q

Define confluence.

A

where two streams join/meet

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8
Q

Define source/headwaters.

A

the start of the stream; usually found in mountainous areas

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9
Q

Define mouth.

A

the end of a stream where it enters the sea or a lake.

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10
Q

What is headward erosion?

A

extending the head of the valley upslope; how a stream lengthens its course

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11
Q

What is stream piracy?

A

the diversion of the drainage of one stream into another

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12
Q

What are the different drainage patterns?

A
  1. Dendritic
  2. Rectangular
  3. Trellis
  4. Parallel
  5. Radial
  6. Centripetal
  7. Deranged
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13
Q

How are dendritic drainage patterns characterized? (F1)

A

tree-like pattern; forms over a fairly uniform substrate with a fairly uniform initial slope

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14
Q

How are rectangular patterns characterized? (F2)

A

Streams join each other at right angles. This occurs when a rectangular grid of fractures (vertical joints) breaks up the ground; channels form along the preexisting fractures.

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15
Q

How are trellis drainage patterns characterized? (F3)

A

Develops across a landscape of parallel valleys and ridges; rocks are not homogeneous; streams join the mainstream by eroding soft rocks at a right angle.

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16
Q

How are parallel drainage patterns characterized? (F4)

A

On a uniform slope, several streams with parallel courses develop simultaneously

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17
Q

How are radial drainage patterns characterized? (F5)

A

Drainage networks form on the surface of a cone-shaped volcano outward from the mountain peak

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18
Q

How are centripetal drainage patterns characterized? (F6)

A

Almost identical to a radial drainage system; it flows into a central point

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19
Q

How are deranged drainage patterns characterized? (F7)

A

It occurs in drainage basins where there is no apparent/consistent pattern of streams and lakes usually a region that is geologically disrupted; it is typical of recently glaciated areas.

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20
Q

Compare perennial land ephemeral streams.

A

Perennial streams flow all year long
Ephemeral streams flow for only part of the year

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21
Q

How is stream flow characterized?

A
  1. turbulent
  2. laminar
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22
Q

Characterize turbulent flow.

A

water moving quickly in an erratic fashion horizontally and vertically
individual particles take irregular paths
can keep sediment in suspension longer than laminar flows and aids in the erosion of the stream bottom

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23
Q

Characterized laminar flow.

A

water moving slowly in a nearly straight path
all water molecules travel along similar parallel paths.

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24
Q

What is stream velocity?

A

The distance that water in a stream travels over an interval of time

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25
Where does a stream generate maximum velocity?
on the outside curve of a curved channel; this is where erosion occurs
26
Where does a stream generate minimum velocity?
on the inside curve of a curved channel; this is where the deposition of sediment occurs
27
What factors affect stream velocity?
1. Slope/gradient of the stream 2. Channel shape 3. Channel size 4. Channel roughness 5. Discharge
28
How does flow velocity change from headwaters to mouth?
Stream flow gets progressively faster on their journey downstream as more water is added via tributary streams.
29
What are the 3 zones of a stream?
1. Erosion 2. Transporation 3. Deposition
30
Where is erosion located on a stream?
in the headwater region of a stream system
31
Where is transportation on a stream?
between the headwater region and the mouth of the stream system
32
Where is deposition located on a stream?
right above the mouth of the stream
33
What are the 3 types of sediment loads by streams?
1. dissolved 2. suspended 3. bedload
34
How are dissolved sediments characterized?
Sediments dissolved in solution; they are invisible; ie small grains
35
How are suspended sediments characterized?
Sediment load in suspension; silt and clay-sized grains
36
How are bedload sediments characterized?
Sediment load rolling along the bottom; sand, gravel, and boulder-sized grains
37
What are the two types of stream channels?
1. Bedrock 2. Alluvial
38
How are bedrock stream channels characterized?
they are cut into the underlying strata; and typically form in the headwater region; common features are potholes, steps, and pools
39
How are alluvial stream channels characterized?
Form in sediment previously deposited in the valley; usually associated with a flood plain; channels change shape as material is eroded and transported
40
What are the two major types of alluvial channels?
1. meandering 2. braided
41
How are meandering alluvial channels characterized?
sweeping bends Fine sediment; much-suspended load Constant flow Dense vegetation
42
How are braided alluvial channels characterized?
a network of converging and diverging channels that thread among numerous islands or gravel bars Coarse sediment (much bed load) Variable flow Sparse vegetation
43
Where do cutbanks form?
on the outside of a meander; a zone of active erosion
44
Where do point bars form?
on the inside of a meander; zone of deposition
45
Where do oxbow lakes form?
where the meander has been cut off from joined bends
46
What is the difference between local base level and ultimate base level?
local base level is the lowest level that a steam can erode down to in the form of a lake or reservoir the ultimate level is the sea level
47
What is a graded stream?
a system in equilibrium where erosional and depositional processes are balanced; there is no net erosion or deposition
48
What are the depositional landforms?
1. Deltas 2. Natural levees 3. alluvial fans
49
How are deltas characterized?
Form when sediment-filled streams enter a large standing body of water. stream's forward velocity decreases; lowering its carrying capacity coarse sediments are deposited close to the stream mouth fine sediments are deposited at the outer edge of the delta
50
How are natural levees characterized?
raised areas adjacent to the channel formed during flood events they prevent water from returning to the stream channel
51
How are alluvial fans characterized?
fan-shaped deposits of sediments at the base of mountain fronts
52
If a stream breaks through a divide and captures drainage from the competing stream it is called _____.
stream piracy
53
A _______ stream has flowing water year-round. The water table is located above the stream bed for most of the year. Groundwater is the primary source of water for streamflow. Runoff and precipitation is a supplemental source of water for a stream flow.
permanent (perennial)
54
In curved channels. maximum velocity traces the ____ curve where the channel is preferentially scoured and deepened
outside
55
The slope of a stream channel, expressed as the vertical drop of a stream over a specified distance (rise/run) is called the _____
gradient
56
The volume of water flowing past a certain point in a given unit of time is called _____. It is the product of cross-sectional area and velocity.
discharge
57
Moving from the headwaters to the mouth, in most streams, which of the following is true? a. channel slope generally increases b. Discharge typically decreases c. Sediment size typically increases d. Flow velocity generally increases
d. flow velocity generally increases
58
Anions and cations make up a stream's ______.
dissolved load
59
Which of the following is most likely to be part of a stream's suspended load? a. gravel b. boulder c. silt d. cobble
c. silt
60
____ is the downstream movement of particles in a series of jumps or skips.
saltation
61
The outside of a meander (cut bank) is a zone of active _____.
ersion

GEOL-1403 (26 decks)

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