Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
180 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is the principle source of all erosion and sedimentation?
|
Water Distribution
|
|
|
Name the paths of water
|
-Evaporation
-Percipitation -Ice -Runoff -Groundwater -Plant transportation -Lakes -Oceans |
|
|
Power is derived from what?
|
sun and gravity
|
|
|
When water moves, it transfers what?
|
Energy and materials as well
|
|
|
What is Runoff?
|
When a portion of rain flows on the earth surface
|
|
|
Infiltration
|
A portion of rain soaks into the ground
|
|
|
Evaporation
|
surface water evaporating
|
|
|
Transpiration
|
the release of water vapor to the atmosphere by plants
|
|
|
All the water cycles together are called what?
|
Evapotranspiration
|
|
|
Although water constantl moses through all phases, each _____ remains stable?
|
Resevoir
|
|
|
Sheetflow
|
runoff flowing in broad, think seets across the ground
|
|
|
Sheetflow coalesces into___?
|
Rills
|
|
|
Rills coalese to form what?
|
streams and rivers
|
|
|
Reynolds Number
|
how much sediment a flow can carry
|
|
|
Gradient
|
The measure of how much a stram bed frops in altitude over a given distance, the steeper, the more rapid the flow
|
|
|
Channel shape does what to flow?
|
Flow varies between the middle and edge(friction) narros streams have mroe rapid change in flow
|
|
|
Discharge
|
The amount of water flowing past a defined point in a given length of time
|
|
|
Discharge is never ____.
|
Stable
|
|
|
Rain is not always ___ or ___.
|
Constant, predictable
|
|
|
AS discharge increases, so does what?
|
Depth, width and velocity
|
|
|
What effects discharge?
|
The entire river course, headwaters doen to mouth
|
|
|
What is Erosion driven by?
|
river flow
|
|
|
Rivers will do what?
|
erode downwars, diminsishing their gradient, until they reach base level
|
|
|
Base level
|
The level below wich a stream cannot erode
|
|
|
What do streams carry?
|
-Dissolved load
-Suspended load -Bed load |
|
|
Bed load
|
sediment mvoed along the bottome of a stream by movign water, or particles moved along the ground surface by wind
|
|
|
Dissolved load
|
The portion of a stream's load carried in solution
|
|
|
Suspended load
|
the fine sediemtn carried within the body of flowing water or air
|
|
|
Most dissolved material comes from what?
|
Groundwater
|
|
|
Chemican pollution is often ___.
|
dissolved
|
|
|
Suspended sediment is ____ and requires _____.
|
Vissible, turbulence
|
|
|
Large particles are bounced along the bottom of what?
|
Bed
|
|
|
As energy level drops, ____ deposits.
|
Sediment
|
|
|
Alluvial deposits
|
-Bars
-Braided streams -Floodplains -Fans and Deltas |
|
|
Streams usually create their own ____.
|
Valleys
|
|
|
Rapid downward erosion leads to what? What is this called?
|
Narrow valleys, Downcutting
|
|
|
Older rivers have already cut their ___ and now meander which results in____?
|
grade, widening the valley
|
|
|
Flood
|
When discahrge increases to where the channel cannont contain the water
|
|
|
100 year floods
|
a 1 in 100 chance of a flood od this size occuring
|
|
|
Regional floods
|
Affects a large drainage basin, often seasonal due to snow melt ot monsoon
|
|
|
Flash flood
|
rapid flood, more common ater saturating rain in steeo terrain
|
|
|
Costal floods
|
storms and surges
|
|
|
Natural levees are a product of what and protection from what?
|
human factors, floods
|
|
|
Human and natural levees will eventually ___.
|
Fail
|
|
|
Plant removal slows what?
|
evapotranspiration
|
|
|
Pavement alters what?
|
runoff
|
|
|
Pavement alters runoff because .......
|
-Less water is absorbed into sediements in sotrms
-Less groundwater formation -Less groundwater input into streams during dry periods -Increased flash floods -No sedimetn filtering of pollutants |
|
|
Groundwater
|
Water found in the pores of soil and sedimetn, plus narrow fractures in bedrock
|
|
|
22% of our use of groundwater
|
freshwater withdrawls
|
|
|
37% of our use of groundwater
|
-agricultural use(mostly for irrigation)
-public water supply withdrawls |
|
|
51% of our use of groundwater
|
drinking water for the total population
|
|
|
99% of our use of groundwater
|
drinking water for the rural population
|
|
|
As an erosional agent, dissolving groundwater produces what?
|
Sinkholes and caverns
|
|
|
Cavern
|
Naturally formed underground chamber or series of chambers most commonly produced by solution activity in limestone
|
|
|
Ground water serves as a ____ of streamflow.
|
equalizer
|
|
|
The crust is ____.
|
Porous
|
|
|
Water that enters as precipitation is ____ and____ where?
|
moved and stored, underground
|
|
|
What is the largest avaible source of freshwater?
|
Groundwater
|
|
|
In Alabama, groundwater moves aproximently how much on average?
|
An inch a day
|
|
|
Where does groundwater originate?
|
a percentage of rain is absorbed underground depending on surface sediemtn, type, pores, cracks, etc.
|
|
|
Belt of soil moisture
|
a zone in which water is held as a film on the durfavce of siold particles any may be used by plants or withdrawn by evaporation; not ground water--> soil water
|
|
|
Zone of saturatoin
|
the zone where all open spaces in sediment and rock are completly filled with water
|
|
|
Zone of saturation is not held as...
|
soil moisture percolates downard
|
|
|
Saturation zone
|
when all open spaces in sediment and rock are filled with water
|
|
|
Water table
|
the upper limit of the cone of saturation
|
|
|
Water table vaires with ___ and ___.
|
Input and output
|
|
|
Water table generally follows____ in many cases.
|
topography
|
|
|
What can be used to map water tables?
|
Wells or geophysical data
|
|
|
Swamps, lakes and streams usually intersect what?
|
The water table
|
|
|
A "gaining" stream
|
is at or below the water table and takes water from the ground
|
|
|
a "losing" stream
|
streams that lose water to the groundwater system by outflow through the streambed
|
|
|
Porosity
|
percentage of total colume of rock or sediemnt that consists of pore spaces
|
|
|
Permeability
|
the ability of a material to transmit a fluid
|
|
|
Aquitard
|
and impermaeable layer that hinders or prevents water movement (often clay)
|
|
|
Aquifer
|
permeable rock strats or sediemtn that transmits groundwater freely (often sands and gravel)
|
|
|
Permeability
|
a measure of a material's ability to transmit water
|
|
|
All water moves what way?
|
down gradient, not necessarily downhill
|
|
|
Velocity is dtermine by what?
|
The slope of the table between two points
|
|
|
Springs
|
where a water tbale intersects the surface
|
|
|
Deep aquifers are ____ and result in what?
|
heated, hot springs
|
|
|
Well
|
a human-made groundwater conduit
|
|
|
Artesian Wells and Springs
|
Some streams occur under pressure and most wells have to be pumped to the surface
|
|
|
Groundwater as a nonrenewable source
|
Aquifer recharge may be so slow that it is essentially stoped
|
|
|
Subsidence
|
Ground sinks when water is pumped faster than recharge
|
|
|
Excessive groundwater withdrawl casues ____ to be drwan into wells.
|
Saltwater
|
|
|
Saltwater intrusion is a problem where?
|
In coastal areas and will soon cause troubles in Alabama
|
|
|
Groundwater contamination
|
-sewage (may be purified if it passes slowly)
-Highway residues and salts -Fertilizers -Pesticides -Chemican and industrial materials |
|
|
Finding and cleaning problems of groundwater contamination is a major aread of _____.
|
Employment
|
|
|
Groundwater dissolves _____ and creates what?
|
Rocks- sinkholes, caves and caverns
|
|
|
Karst
|
A type of topography fromed on soluble rock primarilly by dissolution and is characterized by sinkholes, caves and underground drainage
|
|
|
Groundwater repersents what?
|
Possibly the most critical water source that humans rely on
|
|
|
Groundwater is a keyfactor in what process?
|
Geological
|
|
|
Glacier
|
a thick mass of ice that originates on land from the accumulation, compaction, and recrystalization of snow
|
|
|
Glaciers are central to what?
|
The Earth's climate, sea level, water cycle and rock cycle
|
|
|
Alpine
|
a mountain valley
-high altitude -small -fast moving |
|
|
Ice sheets
|
continental
-all altitudes -large -slow moving |
|
|
Glaciers are up to ____ meters think in Antartica.
|
4300
|
|
|
___% of the worlds ice is from?
|
Antartic Ice Sheet
|
|
|
Antartice ice sheet is __ of Earth's freshwater.
|
two thirds
|
|
|
The Antartice ice sheet covers____.
|
One and one-half times the area of the US
|
|
|
If the Antartice ice sheet melted, sea level would rise how much?
|
60- 70 meters
|
|
|
Glaceirs from in areas where....
|
more snow falls in the winter than melts during the summer
|
|
|
What controls ice?
|
Summer heating- not winter
|
|
|
What are the steps in the formation of galcail ice?
|
-Snowfalls and accumulates with air pockets
-Snowflakes become smaller, thicker and more spherical -Firn -Air is forced out |
|
|
Firn
|
Granular recrystalized snow. A transitional stage between snow and glacial ice.
|
|
|
Once the thickness of the ice and snow exceeds __ meters, what happens?
|
50, firn fuses into a solid mass of interlocking ice crystals- galcial ice
|
|
|
What causes Ice to move?
|
Gravity
|
|
|
Ice movement behaves like a river of ice(plastic), sometimes ____ and ___.
|
Brittle and breaks
|
|
|
Basal Slip
|
Bottom of galcier slips along, Meltwater facilitates this
|
|
|
Rates of glaciers vary according to what?
|
slope and other factors
|
|
|
Glaceirs can move up to __ meters a day.
|
2, most are far slower
|
|
|
Glacier movement is ___ and ___.
|
Episodic and Rapid- surges
|
|
|
Zone of accumulation
|
More ice is added than melted
|
|
|
Zone of Wastage
|
More ice is melted or lost than added
|
|
|
Climate point
|
Point of equilibrium and moves as climate changes
|
|
|
Glaciers are a massive source of what?
|
Erosoin
|
|
|
Erosion of galciers do what?
|
-Plucks rocks from surface
-Abrades rock sometimes down to "rock flour" -Striates bedrock |
|
|
What type of unique features to glaciers create?
|
-U-shaped valleys(troughs)
-Hanging valleys -Lakes -Fiords -Horns |
|
|
Till
|
material that is deposited directly by the ice
|
|
|
Since galciers leace such unique features and rocks, it has long been kown that galciers were once what?
|
Far larger than now
|
|
|
We are now in a ___ of an ice age.
|
Warm phase within a cold cycle
|
|
|
How many major cold periods where there?
|
5
|
|
|
Long term cahnges of glacers are due largely to what?
|
Variation in greenhouse gasses and tectonics
|
|
|
Shorter ice ages (100,000 yrs and less) are caused by what?
|
Changes in our orbit
|
|
|
Orbital variations do not casue a change in what?
|
total heat in a year
|
|
|
Orbital variations change what?
|
seasonal intensity
|
|
|
Warm summers prevent what?
|
Ice advances
|
|
|
Ice contains what?
|
Data on climate change
|
|
|
What tells us of past temperatures and precipiatation patterns?
|
H and O isotopes
|
|
|
Dust chemistry tells us of what?
|
Wind
|
|
|
Hot air is ___ dense than cold air.
|
less
|
|
|
Coriolis Effect
|
Wind moves from hihg pressure areas to los pressure areas and the path of this wind apperas curved due to the Earth's rotation
|
|
|
Coriolis Effect is not a ___.
|
Force
|
|
|
Equator gets mose sun, so it is a...?
|
quasi-permanent low pressure zone
|
|
|
Poles get the least sun making it?
|
High pressure
|
|
|
Our weather is driven by what?
|
southerly lows and northerly highs
|
|
|
Southerly lows and northerly highs create what?
|
Jet stream
|
|
|
Quasi stable pressure zones lead to what?
|
Trade Winds that lead to ocean currents and climate patterns
|
|
|
Dry regions cover __% of Earhts land surface.
|
30
|
|
|
2 climatic types of dry regions?
|
-Desert or arid
-Steppe or semiarid |
|
|
Dry lands are concentrated into what 2 regions?
|
Low-latitude and Middle latitudes
|
|
|
Desert Pavement
|
Larger clasts left behind due to wind and sometims cemented by evaporates
|
|
|
Crossbeds form on the __ of dunes?
|
slipface
|
|
|
Wind direction is perserved in what?
|
Sediementary rocks
|
|
|
Tidal bulges are caused by what?
|
Gravity of the Moon and to a lesser extent the sun and centrifugal forces
|
|
|
Spring Tides
|
Occur druing new and full moons, very high and low tides and a large daily tidal range
|
|
|
Neap Tides
|
Occur during the first and third quarters of the moon when gravitational forces of the moon and sun are offset, least daily tidal range
|
|
|
Factors that influecne tides?
|
Shape of the coastline and configuration of the ocean basin
|
|
|
Diurnal Tidal Pattern
|
a single hihg tide and a single low tide each tidal day
|
|
|
Semidiurnal tidla pattern
|
2 high tides and 2 low times each tidal day
|
|
|
mixed tidal pattern
|
larfe inequality in high water heights, low water heights or both
|
|
|
Flood current
|
Advances into the coastl zone as the tide rizes
|
|
|
Ebb Current
|
Seaward-moving water as the tide falls
|
|
|
Tidal flats
|
areas affected by tidal currents
|
|
|
Alabama has ___ tides.
|
small
|
|
|
On the Atlantic, tides get ___ the nearer you are to the ___.
|
Larger, Georigia Bight (9-10 ft or so twice a day)
|
|
|
All water heads to what?
|
The Ocean
|
|
|
Coriolis effect and friction cause what?
|
Most weater to move about 90 degres relative to wind
|
|
|
Hot water is transported ___ and cool ater towards the ___.
|
poleward, equator
|
|
|
East Coast are ___ and west coasts are ___.
|
warm, cold
|
|
|
Geostrophic flow affects?
|
Middle Depths
|
|
|
Thermohaline circualtion affects?
|
Deep water
|
|
|
Surface circualtion cause what?
|
water to pile up in the middle of the ocean, 2m higher in the middle than on the edges
|
|
|
Cold salty water is ___ than warm salty water.
|
heavier
|
|
|
Upwelling
|
Deep water must return to the surface and can take uo to 2000 yrs
|
|
|
Crest
|
top of the wave
|
|
|
Trough
|
Low area between waves
|
|
|
Wave height
|
distance between a trough and crest
|
|
|
wavelentgh
|
horizontal distance between crests
|
|
|
Wave of Oscillation
|
Wave enrgy moves forward, not the water itself, occurs in open and deep water
|
|
|
Wave of Translation
|
begins to form in shallower water when the water-depth is about 1/2 the wavelenght and the wave begins to to "feel bottom"
|
|
|
Sand movement is?
|
Perpendicular to shorline
|
|
|
Foreshore
|
area exposed at low tide
|
|
|
Backshore
|
landward of the high-tide shoreline
|
|
|
Groins
|
Built to maintain or widen beaches
|
|
|
Hydrocarbon compunds
|
Derived from the ramins on marine plants and animals
|
|
|
Oil trap
|
A geological enviromatn that allows economically significatn amounts of oil and gas to accumulate
|
|
|
Reserves
|
Estimates based on stratigraphy and structure
|
|
|
All oil exploration is found in what type of rock?
|
Sediementary
|
|
|
Ore
|
Metallica minerals that can be mined
|
