Exam 14: The Work of Wind and Deserts

The size of material that is frequently carried as suspended load by wind is ____________________ and ____________________.

Landforms that are made of relatively easily weathered sedimentary rocks capped by nearly horizontal more resistant rocks include

Briefly explain why most deserts develop in the mid-latitude dry climate zone.

What type of weathering is dominant in deserts and why? What about other types of weathering?

What factors affect the type of dune that forms?

Alluvial fan sediment is deposited by flashflood,sheet flow,mudflow,and debris flow.

What are alluvial fans,and why are they common in desert mountain ranges?

The Coriolis effect is caused by:

What are some of the characteristics of playas?

What is desertification? Which regions are most susceptible to desertification? What causes desertification,and what are its effects?

What can lithified or ancient sand dunes tell us?

Briefly explain why loess can originate in,but is not deposited in,deserts.

The most mobile dunes are:

Briefly explain how the geological conditions that produced and deposited loess have determined the sites of the world's major grain belts.

Deserts receive less than ____________________ centimeters of rain per year,on average.

All true deserts have widespread sand dunes.

Think about what you learned about sedimentary rocks.Why would ancient cross-bedded sandstone beds,as seen in Zion National Park,Utah,be useful to geologists?

What is air pressure,and how does it vary with temperature?

All dunes originate in desert conditions.

What are the four major dune types generally recognized?