Erosion & Deposition by Water
Which of the following best describes how erosion by groundwater might create a landform?
A. Slightly acidic water dissolves certain rocks underground to form a cavern.
B. A stream flowing through a plain gradually wears away the rock and soil to form a valley.
C. Waves crashing against a rocky shoreline cause parts of the cliff to break away and produce a sea cave.
D. River water slows down as it approaches the ocean and deposits sediment that builds up to form a delta.
A. Slightly acidic water dissolves certain rocks underground to form a cavern.
What conditions are necessary for this glaciers to form?
A. It must be below freezing and very dry.
B. It must be cold, and more snow must fall than melts.
C. It must be mild, and there must be lots of precipitation.
D. It must be below freezing, and more snow must melt than falls.
B. It must be cold, and more snow must fall than melts.
Which type of map would be the most useful to study the shape and size of an erosional land feature?
A. economic map
B. political map
C. road map
D. topographic map
D. topographic map
An aerial photograph of Earth shows Earth’s surface exactly as it looks to the human eye. What do the sensors that take aerial photographs most likely detect?
A. infrared radiation
B. temperature differences
C. ultraviolet radiation
D. visible light
D. visible light
A river starts as a steep channel in the mountains. It then leaves the mountains and enters a flatter area of land. It meanders across a plain and then enters the ocean. At which point would the river described form a delta?
A. when the river enters the ocean
B. when the river is in the mountains
C. when the river leaves the mountains
D. when the river meanders across a plain
A. when the river enters the ocean
Water can cause weathering, erosion, and deposition. Which provides an example of water causing the weathering of rock?
A. acid rain
B. formation of a floodplain
C. rock landslide
D. stream running through a valley
A. acid rain
Which of the following is a type of mass movement caused by gravity?
A. dune
B. loess
C. glacier
D. mudslide
D. mudslide
In regards to a topographic map, what is relief?
A. the average elevation on a map
B. the connection between points of equal elevation on a map
C. the difference between the highest and lowest elevations on a map
D. the relationship between sizes on a map and actual sizes on Earth’s surface
C. the difference between the highest and lowest elevations on a map
Which of the following images of Earth’s surface can only be taken from space?
A. aerial photograph
B. satellite image
C. infrared image
D. microwave image
B. satellite image
What is the process by which a floodplain forms?
A. A stream cuts a new channel during a flood.
B. A river overflows its banks and deposits sediment.
C. As it enters the ocean, a river slows down and drops its sediment.
D. A stream leaves a steep mountain valley, enters a flatter plain, and drops its sediment.
B. A river overflows its banks and deposits sediment.
While hiking in the mountains, Tanya observed a narrow and steep valley with a stream at the bottom of it. What most likely caused the valley to first form?
A. an earthquake
B. running water
C. a rock landslide
D. erosion by wind
B. running water
Loess is a very valuable resource. What characteristic of loess makes it so valuable?
A. Loess is rich in minerals.
B. Loess contains bits of rock.
C. Loess does not erode easily.
D. Loess is very difficult to find.
A. Loess is rich in minerals.
Which provides the best definition of a topographic map?
A. a map showing natural and human-made features and the shape of Earth’s surface by using lines to represent different elevations
B. a map showing the shape of the Earth’s surface by using shading to represent different elevations and land features
C. an image of Earth’s surface, taken by aircraft, that displays Earth’s natural and human-made features
D. a map showing roads, cities, and other political features using different colors and lines
A. a map showing natural and human-made features and the shape of Earth’s surface by using lines to represent different elevations
Which type of image would be expected to provide the greatest level of detail for someone studying vegetation types in a small region?
A. an aerial photograph taken from space
B. an aerial photograph taken from an airplane
C. a photograph taken from the ground
D. a satellite image taken from space
B. an aerial photograph taken from an airplane
Landslides, rockfalls, and mudslides are responsible for both erosion and deposition. What condition is most likely to trigger a mudslide?
A. ice
B. rain
C. wind
D. temperature
B. rain
Marley has a vegetable garden in her yard. During a storm, heavy rain falls. The rain runs over the garden, and some of the soil is washed away. Which term best describes this movement of soil from one place to another?
A. erosion
B. discharge
C. deposition
D. weathering
A. erosion
The tallest sand dunes in North America are found in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. These dunes were formed from the sand at the bottom of a dry lake bed. Which of the following agents is most likely responsible for the formation of the sand dunes?
A. ice
B. wind
C. water
D. gravity
B. wind
A landslide formed a huge erosional feature on the side of a hill called a scarp. You want to learn more about this feature’s shape and size, but you cannot go to the site. Which of the following maps would be the best option to learn this information?
A. an economic map
B. a geologic map
C. satellite images
D. a topographic map
D. a topographic map
Satellites are able to use sensors to detect infrared and visible radiation. What type of information collected from a satellite would be most beneficial to a meteorologist making a weather forecast in a given area?
A. visualization of elevation changes
B. type of vegetation present
C. shape and height of clouds
D. shape of the sea floor
C. shape and height of clouds
In places where there is loose sand and strong wind, the wind can pick up the sand and carry it. When the wind slows, it deposits the sand. Which of the following is formed as the wind slows?
A. dunes
B. glaciers
C. rockfalls
D. mudflows
A. dunes
Rhianna has a stream flowing through her farm. The sediment flowing in the stream is usually fine sand. After a storm, the sediment is a mixture of fine sand, coarse sand, and pebbles. What would Rhianna most likely observe?
A. no erosion after a storm
B. no erosion before a storm
C. a lower rate of erosion after a storm
D. a higher rate of erosion after a storm
a higher rate of erosion after a storm
When glaciers retreat, they leave behind huge blocks of ice. When these ice blocks melt, they can form kettle lakes. Why is it important for sediment to build up around the ice blocks in order for kettle lakes to form?
A. Without the sediment, the water in the lake would dry up.
B. Without the sediment, the water would not stay contained.
C. Without the sediment, vegetation would not be able to grow.
D. Without the sediment, the ice blocks would not warm enough to melt.
B. Without the sediment, the water would not stay contained.
Which area is best represented by a land form that shows gradual increasing elevation in one area on a map?
A. a valley near a mountain
B. a peak
C. a slope on the side of a mountain
D. a mountain
D. a mountain
What does GPS stand for?
A. geographic information system
B. geographic positioning system
C. global positioning system
D. global preparation system
B. geographic positioning system
If the scale on a map reads 1:100,000, what does this mean?
A. 1 cm on the map = 10,000 cm on Earth’s surface
B. 1 cm on the map = 100,000 km on Earth’s surface
C. 1 cm on Earth’s surface = 100,000 cm on the map
D. 1 cm on the map = 100,000 cm on Earth’s surface
D. 1 cm on the map = 100,000 cm on Earth’s surface