Lab 12: Arid Landforms and Processes
KEY
These questions are based on the three topographic maps
provided. These are of the Grand Canyon
(Whitmore Point Quadrangle), Death Valley (Grotto Canyon Quadrangle), and the
Nebraska Sandhills (Argo Hill Quadrangle).
These questions will require you to identify landform features from
these different areas and to draw conclusions about their formation.
1. Looking at the topographic map of the Whitmore Point
Quadrangle (Grand Canyon), what features of the landscape of this area reveal
that this is an arid or semi-arid region?
2. What weathering and erosion processes are likely active
in the Grand Canyon region?
3. The upper rim of the Grand Canyon is the Kaibab
Limestone. Why is this consistent with a
dry climate?
4.How might the types of rocks exposed explain the sudden
changes in slope of the canyon walls seen in the Whitmore Point map?
5. Examine the topographic map of Death Valley (Grotto
Canyon Quadrangle). Each of the letters
on the map marks a characteristic depositional feature of desert
landscapes.
Letter A is a
_______________________¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬_____________________
The broad area around B represents a _______________________
The area of C is covered by ________________________________
A ___________________________________is present at D.
6. What type of sediments (composition and grain size) would
you expect to be found at the different marked locations (A, B, C, D) on the
Grotto Canyon map?
7. Looking at the topographic map of the Nebraska Sandhills
(Argo Hill Quadrangle), what type of sand dunes are present?
8. In what direction were the prevailing winds blowing when
the dunes were formed? What evidence did
you use to decide?
9. The Sandhills of Nebraska are no longer active sand
dunes, and likely have not been for a thousand years. What changes may have caused the dunes to
stabilize and stop moving?
Using the enlarged portion of the Nebraska Sandhills
topographic map provided, draw a topographic profile from Point A to Point B on
the map. Use the graph paper provided to draw your profile. Remember the
procedure for constructing a topographic profile given in Lab 8. The contour
interval of the map is 20 feet. Be sure to label the vertical scale on your
profile.
ScholarMatic: Explanation & Answer
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