AN INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY FINAL PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉At approximately what velocity will a 0.1 mm sediment particle
begin moving in the stream? Answer: 0.6 cm/sec
◉What is the difference between capacity and competence?
Answer: Capacity is the maximum load of solid particles a stream
can transport per unit of time, whereas competence is a measure of
a stream's ability to transport particles based on size rather than
quantity.
◉How can pieces of rock in contact with a stream bed move?
Answer: rolling, sliding, bouncing
◉Complete this analogy: Bouncing is to sand as suspension is
to_____________. Answer: Clay
◉Complete this analogy: Sliding is to gravel as dissolution is
to_____________. Answer: Ions
,◉Which of the following are part of the bed load? Answer: Sand and
gravel
◉What are the three types of loads carried by streams? Answer:
bed load, suspended load, dissolved load
◉What is suspended load? Answer: the fine-grained particles that
travel in the water column above the stream bed
◉In which part of a stream's course would one typically find
bedrock channels? Answer: headwaters
◉A ________ stream consists of a complex network of converging and
diverging channels that weave around channel bars. Answer:
Braided streams
◉Which of the following locations is a likely place to find a braided
stream? Answer: Flowing from the terminus of a glacier
◉What kind of stream channel is visible here? Answer: Meandering
channel
, ◉How does an oxbow lake form? Answer: An oxbow lake forms
when the bend of a meandering river is isolated from the river
because erosional forces create a cutoff in the main river channel.
This isolated bend becomes the oxbow lake.
◉Look at the four images of various river channels, and examine
their unique characteristics and the dominant force or processes at
work in each scene. Answer: Left to right
-Braided Alluvial Channel
-Meandering Alluvial Channel
-Non-meandering Alluvial Channel
-Bedrock
◉At which of the following locations is erosion occurring? Answer:
A, C, E
◉At which of the following locations is deposition occurring?
Answer: B, D
◉Which of the following statements about deposition and erosion
around meander loops is true? Answer: - Erosion occurs where
water is moving the fastest along the outside of the loop.
- Deposition occurs where water is moving the slowest along the
inside of the loop.
GEOGRAPHY FINAL PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉At approximately what velocity will a 0.1 mm sediment particle
begin moving in the stream? Answer: 0.6 cm/sec
◉What is the difference between capacity and competence?
Answer: Capacity is the maximum load of solid particles a stream
can transport per unit of time, whereas competence is a measure of
a stream's ability to transport particles based on size rather than
quantity.
◉How can pieces of rock in contact with a stream bed move?
Answer: rolling, sliding, bouncing
◉Complete this analogy: Bouncing is to sand as suspension is
to_____________. Answer: Clay
◉Complete this analogy: Sliding is to gravel as dissolution is
to_____________. Answer: Ions
,◉Which of the following are part of the bed load? Answer: Sand and
gravel
◉What are the three types of loads carried by streams? Answer:
bed load, suspended load, dissolved load
◉What is suspended load? Answer: the fine-grained particles that
travel in the water column above the stream bed
◉In which part of a stream's course would one typically find
bedrock channels? Answer: headwaters
◉A ________ stream consists of a complex network of converging and
diverging channels that weave around channel bars. Answer:
Braided streams
◉Which of the following locations is a likely place to find a braided
stream? Answer: Flowing from the terminus of a glacier
◉What kind of stream channel is visible here? Answer: Meandering
channel
, ◉How does an oxbow lake form? Answer: An oxbow lake forms
when the bend of a meandering river is isolated from the river
because erosional forces create a cutoff in the main river channel.
This isolated bend becomes the oxbow lake.
◉Look at the four images of various river channels, and examine
their unique characteristics and the dominant force or processes at
work in each scene. Answer: Left to right
-Braided Alluvial Channel
-Meandering Alluvial Channel
-Non-meandering Alluvial Channel
-Bedrock
◉At which of the following locations is erosion occurring? Answer:
A, C, E
◉At which of the following locations is deposition occurring?
Answer: B, D
◉Which of the following statements about deposition and erosion
around meander loops is true? Answer: - Erosion occurs where
water is moving the fastest along the outside of the loop.
- Deposition occurs where water is moving the slowest along the
inside of the loop.
