Stream Gradation Quiz

What is a stream called when it just carries the average load of sediment it receives?

• Downward stream

• Ungraded stream

• Eroded stream

• Graded stream

What happens if more sediment accumulates in the stream channel than can be carried away?

• The stream slows down

• The stream dries up

• The stream widens

• The stream builds up its surface

What is the process by which a stream gradually erodes its channel downward?

• Overland flow

• Uplifting

• Mass wasting

• Downcutting

What does a graded stream profile indicate?

• Large fluctuations in slope profile

• Smoothed out slope profile

• Constantly changing slope profile

• No slope profile

What does a landscape of open valleys with soil-covered slopes indicate?

• Recent erosion

• Rapid uplift

• Lack of vegetation

• Dense plant cover

What is the result of a stream reaching a graded condition over time?

• Development of floodplain and alluvial meanders

• Reduction in stream velocity

• Increase in valley-side slope steepness

• Formation of canyons and gorges

What acts to reduce the steepness of valley-side slopes over time?

• Overland flow

• Stream velocity

• Sediment accumulation

• Fault steps

How long does it take for a stream to reach a graded condition and erode a broad valley?

• Tens of years

• Thousands of years

• Millions of years

• Hundreds of years