Staar Science Satellite Images and Topography

What would be the most likely way this coastline would change over time?

• A fire could destroy the vegetation
• The waves could erode the beach
• The beach would grow due to deposition
• The beach will disappear due to plate tectonics

These images compare the same stretch of coastline.  What is a possible reason for the change?  

• A fire destroyed the beach and surrounding area
• Overtime, water eroded away much of the land
• A major catastrophe such as a hurricane or tsunami destroyed the area
• The beach and land went through a sever drought

A part of a river that curves is called a "meander".  Meanders can change over time by becoming more pronounced.  What has been an effect of this process over time that you can see in the image? 

• The river is beginning to disappear due to erosion
• The river is getting longer over time due to deposition
• The river is slowing down in speed because of the meanders
• Sediment builds up on one side of the river bed as the water moves around the curve

Based on the satellite image, how will this area most likely change?

• Much of the vegetation will be destroyed by a fire
• Much of the land is being melted due to hot spots in the crust
• A tornado is likely to destroy the region
• The river will flood, causing widespread damage

Provided is a topographic map of a hill with contour lines drawn showing elevation in meters.
The steepest slope on this hill can be found on the side that is facing which direction?

• Southwest
• Northeast
• Northwest
• Southeast

A steep slope, one that would be difficult to climb, can be recognized on a topographic map by looking for contour lines that -

• have large numbers
• are spaced closely together
• are thicker than other lines
• form v-shaped points

Deltas forming at the mouths of rivers would be an example of...

• Weathering
• Erosion
• Deposition
• Preposition

Wind blowing sand from one location to another is an example of...

• Weathering
• Erosion
• Deposition
• Sand dunes

Glaciers scraping rocks across the earth’s surface is an example of...

• Weathering
• Erosion
• Deposition
• Sea Floor Spreading

A satellite image of an area in Florida shows a river with slight bends along its length. A second satellite image taken of the same area 10 years later shows the same river with  a different course. What is the best explanation for the difference in the shape of the river's course between the two satellite images?

• Wind blew waves across the water surface, eroding away the bank on one side of the river until the river's course changed its shape
• Regular freezing and thawing of the river split the soil along the river banks, changing the shape of the river
• Water eroded the banks of the river and deposited the eroded soil on opposite banks, causing the river to form tighter bends
• Acid rain chemically weathered the banks along the river, forcing the river to wind back and forth