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Geology > Rivers and Groundwater > Flashcards

Rivers and Groundwater Flashcards

(55 cards)

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1
Q

True or False: Most of the earth’s water is fresh water

A

False; it’s mostly salt water

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2
Q

True or False: Of the freshwater, most of it is permanently frozen

A

True

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3
Q

Fluvial

A

related to streams

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4
Q

The 3 major types of work streams do

A

erosion
transportation
deposition

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5
Q

Types of fluvial erosion

A

abrasion (sandblasting)

hydraulic action

solution (dissolving the rock)

cavitation (implosion of vacuum bubbles)

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6
Q

load

A

weathered and eroded materials transported by streams

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7
Q

types of load

A

bed load
suspended load

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8
Q

bed load

A

large load transported along the bottom of a stream

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9
Q

suspended load

A

fine load transported in the water column of a stream

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10
Q

saltation

A

when a sand grain hits [the bottom of a stream/other particles in the stream] and causes other sand grains to bounce

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11
Q

dissolved load

A

consists of various chemicals, salts, and pollutants that are dissolved in the water

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12
Q

competence

A

the ability of a stream to carry a load

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13
Q

What affects competence

A

water velocity, gradient, channel width, and water volume; they typically have a much higher competence during flooding

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14
Q

channel deposits

A

deposits in the bottom of a stream bed; they always form as a result of a drop in competence

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15
Q

natural levees

A

forms alongside a stream as water spills out of its channel onto floodplains during periods of flooding

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16
Q

The formation of alluvial fans

A

In deserts, flash floods carry
sediment down steep and narrow mountain canyons with tremendous competence. When the flood reaches the valley floor, the gradient suddenly shallows
causing the water to slow down and lose competence. As a result, a fan of gravel ends up
getting deposited at the mouths of canyons in a deposit

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17
Q

base level

A

the level rivers reach when they enter an ocean or lake

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18
Q

how deltas form

A

as a river reaches base level it can no longer carry its load and the sediment is dumped, forming the delta

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19
Q

What controls delta shape

A

the amount of sediment, currents, and tides

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20
Q

distributaries

A

The different channels the main river splits into within a delta

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21
Q

tributaries

A

the many streams upstream that combine to make the larger river

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22
Q

2 main types of streams

A

meandering stream
braided stream

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23
Q

Aspects of a meandering stream

Study These Flashcards
A

a single, sinuous channel
a thalweg
a cut bank
a point bar
an oxbow lake

24
Q

thalweg

Study These Flashcards
A

the line connecting the deepest points all along the chanel of a meandering stream

25
where speeds in a meandering stream are highest
thalweg
26
cut bank
formed by active erosion on the outside of meander bends
27
point bar
what's formed in a meandering stream as they actively dissolve on the inside bend
28
what an abandoned channel can become in a meandering stream
an oxbow lake
29
braided streams
get their name from the numerous crisscrossing channels that resemble a hair braid. They have rapidly shifting channels and mid-channel bars. They are often found in mountain valleys where high gradient rivers deliver great quantities of sand and gravel to the valley.
30
unsaturated zone aka
vadose zone
31
the unsaturated zone is full of ___
air
32
where groundwater first goes through as it seeps down through the ground
unsaturated zone
33
water table
the place where groundwater reaches where there's no more air space and the ground is full of water and sediment/rock
34
aquifer
a layer of rock, sand, or gravel through which water can easily flow; found in the saturated zone
35
permeability
the ability of water to flow through the aquifier
36
porosity
the amount of empty space (that can be filled by water) in an aquifer
37
rocks that make good quifers
sandstones and gravels
38
aquiclude
a rock or substance that does not have good permeability
39
perched water table
a water table that rests higher than the main water table; they occur because an aquiclude traps water above it
40
springs
places where water naturally flows out of the Earth, either continually or intermittently
41
spring deposits
made when minerals such as calcium carbonate are deposited as a spring leaks out of a rock
42
tufa
spring-deposited carbonate rock with small holes
43
travertine
spring-deposited carbonate rock that is mainly solid
44
artesian spring
occurs when water flows out of the ground under natural pressure; this happens because the water table is higher than the outlet
45
artesian well
water that flows out of a well like an artesian spring
46
cone of depression
When a well is pumped, the level of the water table around the well lowers, creating a cone of depression. Water cannot move through the aquifer fast enough to refill the well hole as fast as the water is being pumped out. This cone of depression can become a problem if it becomes so large that it lowers the water table below other local wells, causing them to become dry
47
cone of ascension
a particular problem for cities near oceans that may get salt water in their wells; the less dense freshwater will sit atop the saltwater, and if too much pumping occurs, saltwater will be drawn upwards into the well, causing the cone of ascension
48
Subsidence
occurs when cities in desert areas drain their aquifers and the ground sinks because of the soil particles compacting
49
caves
large underground openings that are typically in carbonate bedrock because carbonates are susceptible to solution by various types of acids
50
caves can be filled with various ____
speleothems
51
speleothems
precipitated cave formations, specifically stalactites and stalagmites [stalaCtites hold TITE to the Ceiling, but you MITE trip over stalaGmites coming up from the Ground]
52
True or False: Over time a stalactite and stalagmite can grow to join and make a column
True
53
sinkholes
[basically the collapsed roofs of caves in the ground]; they can happen quickly or slowly
54
karst topography
landscapes characterized by caves, sinkholes, and disappearing streams
55
4 types of thermal features
hot springs mud pots fumaroles geysers

Geology (9 decks)

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