Missouri River

Rocky Mountains

Gulf of Mexico

Northern Minnesota

Appalachian Mountains

oxbow lake

meander

cut bank

point bar

drainage basin

the amount of water flowing in a river

the speed of a river

the turbulence of a river

the steepness of a river

the ability of a river to erode

Dams and locks trap sediment. To keep the Mississippi River clear for navigation, sediment is dredged and dumped along the shoreline and forms a delta.

As sea level has risen since the end of the last Ice Age, wave action along the Gulf Coast has eroded the mainland, leaving behind a lobe-shaped landmass.

As the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico, its velocity decreases and it begins to drop its sediment load.

After Pangea broke apart, the North American plate has continued on a northward course, leaving debris on the trailing edge.

When the Mississippi River floods its banks, sand grains settle out just beyond the river's normal banks to form a natural ridge.

Poor farming practices increase the sediment load in the Mississippi River, blocking sunlight and thereby inhibiting photosynthesis.

The highly turbulent Mississippi River carries so much sand and silt into the Gulf of Mexico during the spring that it chokes marine species.

Fertilizers promote the growth of algae. When they die and decompose, oxygen is depleted in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fertilizers flushed from farmers’ fields enter the river and promote algae growth, which then competes for oxygen with native fish and other marine species.

Fertilizers and pesticides are toxic chemicals. When they run off of fields and into the Mississippi River, they make their way to the Gulf and poison fish and other species.

fall, creep, flow, slip, avalanche

slide, avalanche, flow, waste, roll

slide, creep, roll, flow, slump

fall, slide, slump, creep, flow

creep, flow, slip, waste, fall

Part B

What is mass movement?

Falls occur slowly and in areas with low slope, whereas creep occurs rapidly in areas with high slope.

Falls occur rapidly and in areas with high slope, whereas creep occurs slowly in areas with low slope.

Falls occur slowly and in areas with high slope, whereas creep occurs rapidly in areas with low slope.

Falls occur rapidly and in areas with low slope, whereas creep occurs slowly in areas with high slope.

Part D

How are slumps and slides related?

Debris avalanches are small, slow flows of rock.

Debris avalanches are large, rapid flows of rock.

Debris avalanches are large, slow flows of rock.

Debris avalanches are small, rapid flows of rock.

fall

slump

flow

creep

slide

oxidation

unloading

frost wedging

thermal expansion

lithification

unloading or exfoliation

biological activity

oxidation

frost wedging

thermal expansion

Part C

The production of tabular slabs of rocks caused by unloading of material overlying igneous bodies is known as _____.

volume of rock increases

increased surface area of the particles

volume of rock decreases

decrease in surface area

rate of dissolution increases

pyroxenes

quartz

calcite

halite

feldspars

pyroxenes

quartz

feldspars

olivine

calcite

halite

quartz

feldspars

calcite

olivine

Minerals in the volcanic rocks produce clay minerals as weathering by-products.

There is abundant rainfall.

Volcanic rocks contain minerals rich in iron, so they are susceptible to oxidation.

Volcanic rocks contain minerals susceptible to hydrolysis.

all of the above

Part E

Sand dunes are typically dominated by quartz grains and very little other mineral matter. Why does this selection occur?