Practice Questions – Final Exam

Note: This is a random sample of the type of multiple choice questions that will be on the exam. None of these questions may actually appear on the exam. Do not use this as your primary means of studying or otherwise preparing for this test.

1 Which of the following is endogenic in nature?

A) weathering

B) stream deposition

C) volcanism

D) glacial erosion

Answer: C

 

2 Which of the following is exogenic in nature?

A) earthquakes

B) volcanism

C) flows of heat and materials in the mantle

D) weathering

Answer: D

 

3 The layer within Earth that lies directly below the lithosphere, but above the upper mantle, is best described as

A) a plastic-like layer that flows in response to heat and pressure.

B) a granitic material that weighs an average of 2.7 grams per cm3.

C) the core.

D) resistant to movement of any type.

Answer: A

 

4 Continental crust is basically __________, whereas oceanic crust is basically __________.

A) thin; thick

B) basalt; granite

C) granite; basalt

D) sima; sial

Answer: C

 

5 At which of the following locations is new ocean crust being formed?

A) rift zones

B) along collision zones between two continents

C) along collision zones between two oceanic plates

D) in oceanic trenches

Answer: A

 

6 Ocean floor subducts under continents because

A) the ocean floor has a lower density and therefore sinks more easily.

B) the ocean floor is made of felsic minerals and is heavier than continental material.

C) the ocean floor is made of mafic material and is therefore more dense than continental material.

D) the weight of the continents is so great that they push the ocean floor material downward.

E) both A and B

Answer: C

 

7 Which of the following is true of divergent plate boundaries?

A) Rifting occurs there.

B) Tensional forces exist there.

C) New ocean crust can be created there.

D) all of the above

E) none of the above

Answer: D

 

8 Convergent plate boundaries are characteristic of

A) sea-floor spreading centers.

B) collision zones between plates.

C) lateral motions of plates.

D) all plate boundaries.

Answer: B

 

9 Transform faults along plate boundaries are characteristic of

A) sea-floor spreading centers.

B) collision zones between plates.

C) lateral motions of plates.

D) all plate boundaries.

Answer: C

 

10 The disintegration and dissolving of surface and subsurface rock is called

A) erosion.

B) mass wasting.

C) landmass denudation.

D) weathering.

Answer: D

 

11 Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of

A) higher mean annual rainfall and temperatures.

B) lower mean annual rainfall and temperatures.

C) temperatures below freezing.

D) rainfall of less than 25 cm (10 in.) per year.

Answer: A

 

12 The rate at which rocks weather depends upon

A) the climate of an area.

B) the type of rock.

C) the amount of vegetation in an area.

D) all of the above

E) A and B only

Answer: D

 

13 Physical weathering is greatest under conditions of

A) lower temperatures and higher precipitation.

B) higher temperatures and precipitation.

C) a lack of moisture at the surface.

D) temperatures that reach below freezing.

Answer: D

 

14 When rock is broken and disintegrated without dissolving, the process in operation is

A) physical weathering.

B) chemical weathering.

C) hydrolysis.

D) carbonation.

Answer: A

 

15 Karst topography is formed primarily by

A) carbonic acid solution.

B) mass wasting processes.

C) oxidation and hydrolysis.

D) exfoliation and hydration.

Answer: A

 

16 A translational slide involves

A) rotational movement of surface material.

B) movement of surface material along a planar surface.

C) unconsolidated flow of material.

D) mudflow.

Answer: B

 

17 Stream-related processes are termed

A) hydrological.

B) geomorphological.

C) fluvial.

D) erosion.

Answer: C

 

18 The general term for clay, silt, and sand deposited by running water is

A) alluvium.

B) debris.

C) soil.

D) mud.

Answer: A

 

19 The high ground that separates one valley from another is known as _________, and it directs surface water runoff known as _________ toward a stream.

A) the maximum contour elevation; alluvial discharge

B) the maximum contour elevation; sheet flow

C) an interfluve; alluvial discharge

D) an interfluve; sheet flow

E) the continental divide; overland flow

Answer: D

 

20 Drainage density refers to

A) the thickness of the water in the stream.

B) the number of channels in an area.

C) a measure determined by dividing the length of the channel by the area of its drainage basin.

D) the arrangement of channels in a given area.

Answer: C

 

21 Stream drainage patterns are determined by which of the following?

A) slope

B) differing rock resistance

C) climatic and hydrologic variability

D) all of the above

Answer: D

 

22 As the discharge of a stream increases, which of the following also happens?

A) Stream channels narrow, become shallower, and lose velocity.

B) The rate of flow decreases.

C) Channel width increases but channel depth decreases.

D) Width, depth, and velocity all increase.

Answer: D

 

23 Consider the equation Q = wdv. According to the equation, if Q (discharge) remains constant, but w and d decrease (as when a channel becomes more narrow and shallow), the velocity will

A) increase.

B) decrease.

C) remain constant.

Answer: A

 

24 Stream transport involves all of the following except

A) saltation.

B) bed load.

C) traction.

D) sheet flow.

Answer: D

 

25 Which of the following is incorrectly matched?

A) cut bank – outer portion of a stream meander

B) point bar – area of substantial erosion

C) aggradation – sediment accumulation in the stream channel

D) braided stream – maze of interconnected channels

Answer: B

 

26 A cutoff on a meandering stream results in the formation of

A) an oxbow lake.

B) a levee.

C) a point bar.

D) a terrace.

Answer: A

 

27 Which of the following is used to measure streamflow?

A) stilling well and staff gauge

B) barometer and sling psychrometer

C) statistical methods of probability

D) reservoirs

Answer: A

 

28 The effect of urbanization on a typical stream hydrograph is to

A) create a base flow.

B) increase lag time between storm peak and peak stream discharge.

C) decrease runoff.

D) decrease lag time between storm peak and peak stream discharge.

Answer: D

 

29 Alpine glaciers include all of the following except

A) an ice cap.

B) a mountain glacier.

C) a cirque glacier.

D) a valley glacier.

Answer: A

 

30 A glacier that is confined in a bowl-shaped recess is called a

A) piedmont glacier.

B) mountain glacier.

C) cirque glacier.

D) valley glacier.

Answer: C

 

31 A valley glacier that extends beyond the confines of its valley and coalesces with other valley glaciers along the base of a mountain range is termed

A) an ice field.

B) a piedmont glacier.

C) a cirque glacier.

D) a valley glacier.

Answer: B

 

32 Which of the following is not correctly matched?

A) ice sheet – significant isostatic depression of the crust

B) ice cap – completely buries the underlying landscape, but covers less than 50,000 sq. kms.

C) ice field – no visible land

D) ice cap – dome shape

E) ice field – mountain tops visible

Answer: C

 

33)  Continuous ice sheets, ice caps, and ice fields are drained on their periphery by

A) piedmont glaciers.

B) mountain glaciers.

C) outlet glaciers.

D) valley glaciers.

Answer: C

 

33 Relative to glacial mass balance, which of the following is incorrect?

A) A positive net balance occurs during a cold period, and a negative net balance occurs during a warm period.

B) Glacial mass is reduced by evaporation, sublimation, and deflation.

C) Glacial mass is reduced by a combination of processes called ablation.

D) Worldwide, most glaciers are showing marked net increase in mass at present.

Answer: D

 

34 A visible snowline across the surface of a glacier is called

A) an equilibrium line.

B) a medial moraine.

C) a firn line.

D) the ice line.

Answer: C

 

35 The opposite of the accumulation zone in a glacier is the

A) abrasion zone.

B) equilibrium line.

C) ablation zone.

D) snow and firn area.

Answer: C

 

36 Which of the following is true of glacial movement?

A) The rate of surface motion is usually identical to the basal slip rate.

B) The internal flow just below the surface is greater than the lower parts.

C) All glaciers move just a few centimeters per year.

D) The basal ice layer does not move downslope.

Answer: B

 

37)  Basal slip is facilitated by

A) regelation.

B) presence of melt water.

C) saturated sediments.

D) all of these

E) none of these – basal ice does not move

Answer: D

 

38)  All of the following represent forms of glacial erosion except

A) ablation.

B) abrasion.

C) plucking.

D) rock pieces freezing to the basal layers of the glacier.

Answer: A

 

39 Which of the following are erosional landforms created only by alpine glaciation?

A) drumlins

B) eskers

C) till plains

D) cols and horns

Answer: D

 

40 The material in a glacial moraine is

A) sorted by weight.

B) sorted by size.

C) unsorted.

D) Both A and B.

Answer: C

 

41 When two valley glaciers join together, they form a __________ at the point at which they merge.

A) terminal moraine

B) till plain

C) recessional moraine

D) medial moraine

Answer: D

 

42 Which of the following is a depositional landform created by glaciation?

A) cols

B) horns

C) U-shaped valleys

D) stratified drift

Answer: D

 

43 A specific landform produced by the deposition of glacial till is known as

A) glacial drift.

B) outwash.

C) a moraine.

D) alluvium.

Answer: C

 

44 Roches moutonnées form as a result of

A) abrasion on both the stoss (upstream) and lee (downstream) side of a rocky outcrop.

B) ice plucking on both the stoss and lee side of a rocky outcrop.

C) abrasion on the stoss side and ice plucking on the lee side of a rocky outcrop.

D) ice plucking on the stoss side and abrasion on the lee side of a rocky outcrop.

E) None of the above.

Answer: C

 

45 Unsorted and unstratified glacial deposits (not landforms) are called

A) till.

B) outwash.

C) moraine.

D) alluvium.

Answer: A

 

46 Which of the following is not a depositional feature formed by, or in association with, a continental glacier?

A) unstratified till

B) outwash plain

C) lateral moraine

D) esker

E) kame

Answer: C

 

47 A winding hill of sorted sand and gravel deposits is known as a(n) __________ and is deposited by a(n) __________ glacier.

A) drumlin; continental

B) drumlin; alpine

C) esker; alpine

D) esker; continental

E) medial moraine; alpine

Answer: D

 

48 Kettle holes are formed by

A) scouring.

B) abrasion.

C) ice that melts after having been buried by glacial sediments.

D) solution of limestone by glacial meltwater.

Answer: C