1. The concept that small, consistent changes can lead to massive transformations over geologic time is best illustrated by which of the following?
- A. A river carving a canyon.
- B. An earthquake causing a landslide.
- C. A volcano erupting lava.
- D. A meteor striking the Earth.
2. In the process of canyon formation, what is the role of "transporting" sediment?
- A. It makes the canyon walls stronger.
- B. It clears away eroded material.
- C. It causes the river to change direction.
- D. It deposits new rock on the riverbed.
3. A geologist studying a landform concludes it was created by the removal and transport of microscopic bits of rock over millions of years. What landform was she most likely studying?
- A. A volcano
- B. A canyon
- C. A sand dune
- D. A glacial moraine
4. If a river that was actively carving a canyon were to completely dry up, what would be the most immediate long-term effect on the canyon's formation?
- A. The canyon walls would immediately collapse.
- B. The canyon would rapidly fill with wind-blown sand.
- C. The process of the canyon becoming deeper would stop.
- D. The canyon would continue to get deeper due to rainwater.
5. What is the primary geological process responsible for a river carving a deep canyon over millions of years?
- A. A single, massive earthquake that splits the ground open, creating a chasm for the river to flow through.
- B. The slow, continuous erosion of rock by flowing water and the transportation of the resulting sediment downstream.
- C. The deposition of volcanic ash and lava, which builds up high walls on either side of the river.
- D. The scraping and gouging action of a large glacier moving through the valley during an ice age.
6. A scientist observes two streams. Stream A carries fine silt and sand, while Stream B is moving large pebbles and small rocks. What can the scientist most likely conclude?
- A. Stream B is moving faster.
- B. Stream A is colder than Stream B.
- C. Stream A has a higher volume of water.
- D. Stream B is flowing through softer ground.
7. As the speed of a river increases, what happens to its potential to cause erosion?
- A. It decreases because the water has less time to contact the rocks.
- B. It increases because the water has greater kinetic energy.
- C. It remains the same regardless of the water's speed.
- D. It increases only if the water temperature also rises.
8. A river flows from a wide, flat plain into a narrow, steep canyon. How will the river's erosive power likely change as it enters the canyon?
- A. It will decrease because the canyon walls protect the riverbed.
- B. It will stay the same because the volume of water has not changed.
- C. It will increase because the water is forced to move faster.
- D. It will decrease because the steeper slope reduces water pressure.
9. Which of the following scenarios would cause the least amount of erosion?
- A. A slow-moving stream.
- B. A rapidly flowing river after a storm.
- C. A waterfall crashing onto rocks below.
- D. A river moving quickly down a steep mountain.
10. During a spring thaw, a mountain river's flow rate doubles. What is the most immediate and significant effect on the sediment it transports?
- A. The water will only be able to carry smaller, lighter particles.
- B. The sediment will be deposited more quickly along the river banks.
- C. The water can now transport larger and heavier sediments.
- D. The type of sediment transported will not change at all.