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Chapter 8
___________ is the water that flows along the surface of the Earth to streams.
Runoff = ____________- Infiltration - Interception - Evaporation
When the amount of water that enters the system is more than the system can hold or move, ____________
can result.
a) volcanic eruptions
*b) flooding
c) log jams
d) ice jams
e) discharge
In Southern Ontario, the likelihood of flooding is increased during which season?
a) winter
*b) spring
c) summer
d) fall
Frozen ground inhibits which component of the water balance?
a) evaporation
b) transpiration
*c) infiltration
d) competency
e) interception
River ____________ is the volume of water flowing per unit time.
If all other factors remain constant except the stream becomes __________ at some point, the water will
speed up.
a) shallower
b) narrower
c) sandier
d) b & c
*e) a & b
Lag time is the amount of time between an event that initiates a flood, and the _____________ it will cause
downstream.
a) minimum gradient
b) minimum competency
c) minimum runoff
*d) peak discharge
e) maximum avulsion
Low levels of infiltration and interception ______________ (increase/decrease) lag time.
Primary effects of flooding include:
a) polluted drinking water
b) starvation
c) transportation disruption
d) power outages
*e) destruction of buildings
When a large dam is constructed, it should have the form of an arched structure because:
a) it does not allow water to permeate into the underlying materials
*b) it causes the majority of the weight of the water to be directed to the valley walls
c) it minimizes the erosive force of the water against the dam
d) it minimizes the erosive force of the water against the valley walls
The type of material that is ideal to build a dam on is:
a) clay rich
b) fractured bedrock
c) sandy
*d) solid bedrock
e) a mixture of sand, silt and clay
Larger dams should be made of:
a) concrete
b) wood
*c) concrete with steel
d) steel
e) wood with steel
The major reason that the South Forks Dam in Pennsylvania failed in 1889 was:
a) the building materials were not strong enough
b) the dam was too high
c) an earthquake caused cracks in the structure
*d) flooding caused an accumulation of debris to block the spillway
e) forest fires caused severe damage to the structure
The Pennsylvania South Forks Dam spillway was blocked up with mesh so that:
a) swimmers would not fall over the dam
*b) fish could not escape from the reservoir lake
c) debris would be caught, and not clog the river further downstream
d) the structure would be stronger
e) water was slowed down at the dam, minimizing erosion
The Pancheswar Dam that is being planned in Nepal has huge hydroelectric potential because:
a) the vertical drop of the river is large
b) labour costs are cheap
c) there is lots of water flowing from monsoons and glaciers
d) all of the above
*e) a & c
The Pancheswar Dam that is being planned in Nepal is of concern to geologists because:
a) the sediments at the site are very clay rich
b) the area is prone to frequent large earthquakes
c) the site is solid bedrock
*d) the area has not had a large earthquake for some time, but is due for one soon
e) silt buildup behind the dam may occur very quickly
A _________________ is a type of flood that can result from severe thunderstorms in localized regions,
whereas _______________ flooding can be the result of high amounts of rain over large areas for a long
time.
Lag times for regional flooding are ___________ (shorter/longer) than for flash flooding.
A ______________ is a smaller stream that flows into a larger channel.
The main purpose of a constructed levee along a stream is:
a) to slow down the stream
*b) to provide protection from flooding
c) to provide riverfront parkland
d) to produce springs on the floodplain
e) to minimize the stream’s competence
Which of the following statements is false?
a) Levees can often result in high rates of erosion and flash flooding if the river runs over the banks.
b) Man-made levees should be constructed of reinforced concrete.
c) Flooding results when more rain falls than can infiltrate, evaporate or be intercepted.
*d) In a typical river, the erosional power is much greater if the slope of the bed is gentle.
e) Evaporation is the variable that accounts for the smallest proportion of water removed from a system.
The Yellow River in China carries and deposits a great deal of sediment that is derived mostly from:
a) sands
b) quick clays
c) gravel
*d) loess
e) silty clays
In some low gradient places along the Yellow River, the stream flow is ___________ (faster/slower) than
other places. This causes sediment to ______________ (erode/be deposited), leading to a stream bed that is
20m _______________ (higher/lower) than the surrounding landscape.
The human death toll as it relates to flooding can be very high in some areas. Perhaps the most dangerous
river in the world as far as flood-related deaths is considered to be:
*a) The Yellow River in China
b) The Amazon River in South America
c) The Mississippi River in the United States
d) The Nile River in North Africa
e) The Mahakali River along the Nepal-India border
Deltas contain many smaller, branching channels known as _____________________.
When a river changes its course, and makes a new one, which term is used to describe the process?
a) competency
*b) avulsion
c) interception
d) evaporation
e) lag time
The area at the mouth of a river where the main channel divides into many smaller ones and where a lot of
sediment is deposited is known as:
a) an arched structure
b) regolith
c) a natural levee
d) a tributary
*e) a delta
The Old River Control Structure (ORCS) was built to control which river?
a) The Nile in Africa
b) The Mahakali River along the Nepal-India border
c) The Yellow River in China
*d) The Mississippi River in the United States
e) The Congo River in Africa
In terms of flood prediction, statistical analysis of past floods can be used to determine:
a) probability of flooding
b) frequency of flooding
c) exact months in which a flood will occur
d) all of the above
*e) a & b
An increase in the amount of impermeable material such as roads and parking lots at the Earth’s surface
causes water to be funneled into storm sewers. This can result in flooding because:
a) the lag time is increased
b) the lag time is decreased
c) the peak discharge is increased
d) a & c
*e) b & c
Groundwater pumping can lead to flooding because:
a) the water table is elevated
b) the pumping causes the position of the contained water to shift
*c) the ground surface is lowered closer to the water table
d) the pumps are often faulty and leak to the point of flooding above ground
e) large springs may form as a result of the pumping
Channel modification is generally carried out in streams in order to ____________ (increase/decrease) the
cross-sectional area of the stream.
Duff’s Ditch is a ________________ located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is one example of a constructed
channel built to provide an alternate route for river water if the main stream gets too high.
One type of regulatory approach to dealing with floods is to limit building on the area surrounding the
river, known as the _______________, by zoning these areas as agricultural or residential.
Which of the following statements is true?
a) Rivers are divided into shallow, tranquil pools and deep rapids.
b) Flash floods often cover massive areas of landscape.
c) Streams flowing through floodplains tend to have much faster flowing water than streams in the
mountains.
d) Floodplain regions are easily visible while walking along the ground, making it simple for hydrologists
to outline the regions that will flood.
*e) Short-term flood prediction can be carried out by monitoring rain and snow melt.
Chapter 9
Weather is a term used to describe conditions in the _________ (long/short) term, whereas climate is much
more _________ (long/short) term.
The temperature of the Earth fluctuates between very warm periods and very cold periods. These changes
take place gradually, but it is estimated that they have a period of:
a) 3 thousand years
b) 13 thousand years
c) 3 million years
d) 30 million years
e) 300 million years
During greenhouse periods, the temperature difference between the poles and the equator is _________
(small/large).
During icehouse periods, the temperature difference between the poles and the equator is _________
(small/large).
Stages where the icemass shrinks within an icehouse period are called _______________ periods.
Southern Ontario was buried under continental glaciers for the last time ___________ years ago.
a) 1000
b) 400
c) 135 000
d) 12 000
e) 1 500 000
It is thought that the Earth is warming or cooling to the point of:
a) a greenhouse period
b) a glacial period
c) a slightly warmer interglacial period
d) a slightly colder interglacial period
e) an icehouse period
The _____________ epoch commenced 1.7 million years ago.
a) Pleistocene
b) Holocene
c) Upper Cretaceous
d) Paleocene
e) Pliocene
An oxygen atom with 8 protons and 9 neutrons has an atomic mass of:
a) 8
b) 16
c) 17
d) 9
e) 1
O16 and O17 are examples of oxygen isotopes. They are different because they:
a) have different numbers of protons
b) have varied atomic masses
c) diffuse through saline water at different speeds
d) have different numbers of electrons
e) none of the above
Many marine organisms have shells made of:
a) calcium and phosphorus
b) carbonate and phosphorus
c) carbonate and magnesium
d) calcium and carbonate
e) magnesium and phosphorus
____ (O16/O18) makes up 99.8% of all oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Water molecules made with ____ (O16/O18) are lighter, and therefore evaporate more readily than their
heavier counterparts.
Because of runoff, the ocean always has a constant ratio of O16/O18, regardless of temperature.
a) True
b) False
According to cores from the Dunde Glacier in Tibet, the warmest time in the last 2000 years was:
a) 2000-1900 years ago
b) 1000 - 1500 years ago
c) 50 years ago to present
d) During the Industrial Revolution in Britain
e) 800- 900 years ago
Trees growing in temperate areas have thicker rings in years when:
a) precipitation is low throughout the growing season
b) temperatures are higher early in the growing season
c) temperatures are higher later in the growing season
d) precipitation is high at the end of the growing season
e) a & c
The Niagara Escarpment has many ____________ trees, some of which are 1500 years old.
a) blue spruce
b) white pine
c) elm
d) white cedar
e) hemlock
Using trees on the Niagara Escarpment, a climate record for Southern Ontario has been developed for the
past 300 000 years.
a) True
b) False
Many ancient rocks show indications of glacial environments, proving that Southern Ontario has undergone
many icehouse periods throughout geological time.
a) True
b) False
One fairly obvious indicator of climate change in recent years is:
a) a decrease in tree pollen production
b) a decrease in icebergs
c) an increase in the number of tropical storms
d) the shrinking of the alpine glaciers worldwide
e) an increase in the population of marine organisms with hardshells
Antarctica is much ___________ (wetter/drier) than Greenland, meaning that an Antarctic ice core of
similar length as one from Greenland represents a much ____________ (longer/shorter) period of ice
accumulation.
Past atmospheric compositions (percentages of each gas) can be determined by analyzing:
a) fossilized marine shells
b) metamorphic rocks
c) annual coral growth
d) pillow lava compositions
e) ice cores
Over thousands of years, high atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) and _________ levels can be correlated
with higher temperatures.
a) oxygen (O2)
b) methane (CH4)
c) beryllium (Be)
d) nitrogen (N)
e) hydrogen (H)
Volcanic ash layers found in glacier ice can be dated using radiometric dating, which allows scientists to
roughly determine when the ice was deposited.
a) True
b) False
An increase in the amount of dust in a layer of a polar ice core indicates that at the time of ice formation:
a) the climate was very warm and very dry
b) the climate was cooler and wetter
c) the climate was warmer and wetter
d) the climate was cooler and drier
e) any of the above, it simply depended on the wind
Acidic layers of the ice cores are common since 1900 because of human activities. The decrease in pH is
mainly because of:
a) elevated sulphate concentrations
b) elevated chlorine concentrations
c) elevated nitrate concentrations
d) a & b
e) a & c
If pollen in older ice layers has a high amount of boreal forest pollen, but gradually shifts to high levels of
pollen produced by temperate species, this indicates ____________(cooling/warming).
Ocean sediment records are always the best method for analyzing climate change because they tend to
accumulate very quickly.
a) True
b) False
Some types of marine organisms produce shells that coil differently depending on the temperature of the
water.
a) True
b) False
Heinrich events are defined as:
a) abrupt changes in the coils of marine organisms
b) slow changes in the thickness of ice layers
c) changes in pollen type preserved in ice
d) slow changes in lava layer composition in sediments
e) abrupt changes in marine sediments
Coarse sandy sediments are deposited in the ocean by:
a) underwater volcanoes
b) ice rafting
c) turbidity currents
d) all of the above
e) b & c
Heinrich events result when the Earth has been cold for a long period, and then starts to warm up.
a) True
b) False
Changes in the placement of continents and oceans can affect climate.
a) True
b) False
Rapid climate change is triggered solely by high greenhouse gas levels.
a) True
b) False
An increase in the amount of snow-covered surfaces on the Earth would lead to an ___________
(increase/decrease) in the amount of solar radiation absorbed because snow is ___________ (highly/not at
all) reflective.
Shifts in the Gulf Stream tend to promote a _____________ (slow/rapid) change in climate.
Fires and volcanoes produce ___________, which are liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas.
Desert re-vegetation would ultimately lead to:
a) more dust in the atmosphere, and a warmer climate
b) less dust in the atmosphere, and a cooler climate
c) more dust in the atmosphere, and a cooler climate
d) less dust in the atmosphere, and a warmer climate
e) none of the above
Solar activity includes things like:
a) solar flares
b) comets
c) sunspots
d) a & b
e) a & c
Example(s) of cosmogenic isotopes include:
a) 10Be
b) 222Ra
c) 9He
d) 114Cs
e) a & c
When our Sun is stronger, it _____________ (attracts/deflects) cosmogenic isotopes, allowing us to
analyze sediments and ice to determine time periods.
The _______________________ is a term used to describe the tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis, the amount
of wobble in the axis, and the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit.
a) Kyoto Protocol
b) Greenhouse Effect
c) Milankovitch Cycle
d) International Panel on Climate Change
e) Global Positioning System
The migration of tropical diseases into more northern areas can be a problem if global warming persists.
a) True
b) False
Savannahs can easily change into deserts if the climate becomes increasingly:
a) wet
b) cold
c) dry
d) warm
e) windy
Warm air can hold __________ (more/less) moisture than cold air.
Evidence that the Sahara Desert was once an area suitable for raising cattle can be found through:
a) examination of fossil remains
b) preserved grass remnants
c) paintings found on rocks
d) a & c
e) b & c
Climate change may force changes in land-use, and cause current agricultural areas to become
unproductive.
a) True
b) False
The limit of atmospheric CO2 that is suggested by the Kyoto Protocol is:
a) 800ppm
b) 35ppm
c) 1200ppm
d) 450ppm
e) 130 000ppm
The process of storing carbon in sinks is known as ___________________.
Microscopic marine plants known as _________________ are good carbon sinks.
The oceans are much ___________ (smaller/bigger) CO2 sinks than their terrestrial components.
Fertilizing the ocean increases the number of algal blooms, which can actually lead to more carbon being
released into the atmosphere.
a) True
b) False
Carbon dioxide is increasingly soluble in ____________ (colder/warmer) water, especially at ___________
(low/high) pressures.
Carbon dioxide can be pumped into underground oil and gas reserves, and significantly increase the
amount of coal that present for mining.
a) True
b) False