Morphometric analysis: stream ordering, bifurcation ratio, drainage density, basin form factors and slope-profile analysis. - Question Bank

1. Which of the following is NOT a typical component of morphometric analysis of drainage basins?
A) Stream ordering
B) Topographic slope analysis
C) Sediment load measurement
D) Basin shape parameters
2. A higher relief ratio generally suggests:
A) A flatter basin with lower erosion potential
B) A steeper basin with higher erosion potential
C) A more mature drainage network
D) A less dissected landscape
3. The 'relief ratio' (Rh) is calculated as the total basin relief divided by the:
A) Basin area
B) Basin length
C) Basin perimeter
D) Average stream length
4. Morphometric analysis helps in understanding the hydrological behavior of a basin, particularly its response to:
A) Tectonic uplift
B) Volcanic activity
C) Precipitation events
D) Glacial advance
5. The 'length of overland flow' is inversely related to:
A) Basin area
B) Drainage density
C) Stream frequency
D) Bifurcation ratio
6. Which morphometric parameter is most sensitive to changes in land use and vegetation cover?
A) Basin form factor
B) Stream ordering
C) Drainage density
D) Length ratio
7. The 'mean stream length' (Lsm) is an important parameter for calculating:
A) Stream ordering
B) Bifurcation ratio
C) Drainage density
D) Texture ratio
8. When analyzing stream profiles, a knickpoint usually indicates:
A) A section of a graded stream
B) A zone of recent base-level change or differential erosion
C) The mouth of the river
D) The source of the river
9. The 'ratio of basin area to basin perimeter' is a component used in calculating which morphometric parameter?
A) Drainage density
B) Circularity ratio
C) Texture ratio
D) Length ratio
10. Which aspect of a drainage basin is MOST directly revealed by analyzing its bifurcation ratio?
A) Its overall size
B) The degree of dissection and branching of the network
C) The average elevation
D) The soil type
11. The 'drainage basin' or 'watershed' is the fundamental unit for which type of analysis?
A) Geological stratigraphy
B) Morphometric analysis
C) Atmospheric pressure mapping
D) Oceanographic currents
12. A 'graded stream' is characterized by:
A) A steep and irregular longitudinal profile
B) A concave longitudinal profile with constant slope
C) A concave longitudinal profile with a slope just sufficient to transport the load
D) A profile that changes rapidly with time
13. The 'gradient ratio' is a measure used in profile analysis to describe:
A) The change in slope along a stream channel
B) The bifurcation ratio of tributaries
C) The drainage density of the basin
D) The overall shape of the basin
14. Which analysis provides information about the relative proportions of different slope classes within a drainage basin?
A) Stream ordering
B) Profile analysis
C) Slope analysis
D) Form factor analysis
15. The 'drainage texture' refers to the overall pattern of drainage lines within a basin and is influenced by:
A) Stream ordering and length ratio
B) Stream frequency and drainage density
C) Basin form factor and elongation ratio
D) Slope analysis and profile analysis
16. Which of the following morphometric parameters is most directly influenced by the geological structure and lithology of a region?
A) Basin form factor
B) Bifurcation ratio
C) Drainage density
D) Stream ordering
17. The 'stream frequency' (Fs) is defined as:
A) Total stream length divided by basin area
B) Number of streams divided by basin area
C) Total number of streams divided by basin perimeter
D) Average stream length divided by basin perimeter
18. A hypsometric curve that is concave upwards usually suggests a basin that is:
A) Youthful
B) Mature
C) Old age
D) In equilibrium
19. A hypsometric curve that is convex upwards typically indicates a drainage basin in which stage of geomorphic evolution?
A) Youthful
B) Mature
C) Old age
D) Equilibrium
20. The 'hypsometric integral' is a graphical representation used in morphometric analysis to depict:
A) The relationship between stream order and stream length
B) The distribution of elevation within a drainage basin
C) The drainage density variation across a basin
D) The slope profile of a stream channel
21. Horton's law of stream lengths states that the average lengths of streams of successive orders form a geometric progression. This is often represented by the:
A) Bifurcation ratio
B) Drainage density
C) Length ratio
D) Form factor
22. The 'length ratio' (Rl) in morphometric analysis represents the ratio of the average length of streams of order 'n' to the average length of streams of order:
A) n+1
B) n-1
C) n+2
D) n
23. A high texture ratio suggests:
A) A coarse drainage texture with widely spaced streams
B) A fine drainage texture with closely spaced streams
C) A mature drainage basin
D) A youthful drainage basin
24. The 'texture ratio' (T) in morphometric analysis is related to:
A) Stream ordering and basin area
B) Drainage density and basin perimeter
C) Stream frequency and basin area
D) Bifurcation ratio and stream length
25. A circularity ratio close to 1 indicates a basin that is:
A) Highly elongated
B) More circular
C) Very narrow
D) Irregularly shaped
26. The 'circularity ratio' (Rc) compares the drainage basin's area to the area of:
A) A square with sides equal to the basin's length
B) A circle with the same perimeter as the basin
C) A circle with the same diameter as the basin's length
D) A circle with the same area as the basin's perimeter
27. A drainage basin with an elongation ratio significantly less than 1 is likely:
A) Circular
B) Oval
C) Highly elongated
D) A combination of shapes
28. An elongation ratio of 1.0 suggests a basin shape that is:
A) Highly elongated
B) Circular
C) Elongated parallel to its longer axis
D) Irregular
29. What does the 'elongation ratio' (Re) measure in a drainage basin?
A) The ratio of stream length to basin width
B) The ratio of the basin area to the area of a circle with the same perimeter
C) The ratio of the basin area to the area of a circle with the same circumference
D) The ratio of the maximum basin length to its maximum width
30. A concave longitudinal profile of a stream is often indicative of:
A) A youthful stage of valley development
B) A mature stage with active erosion
C) A graded stream in equilibrium
D) An upstream waterfall
31. Profile analysis in morphometric analysis typically involves examining:
A) The overall shape of the drainage basin
B) The longitudinal profile of a stream channel
C) The drainage density across the basin
D) The bifurcation ratio of tributaries
32. Slope analysis in morphometric analysis helps understand:
A) The drainage density of the area
B) The erosion and depositional processes
C) The stream ordering
D) The bifurcation ratio
33. Which morphometric parameter provides insights into the stage of geomorphic evolution of a drainage basin?
A) Stream ordering
B) Bifurcation ratio
C) Basin form factor
D) All of the above
34. The formula for the basin form factor (Bf) is typically expressed as:
A) Area / (Perimeter^2)
B) (4 * pi * Area) / (Perimeter^2)
C) Perimeter / Area
D) Area / Length
35. A basin form factor significantly less than 1 suggests a basin that is:
A) Circular
B) Compact
C) Highly elongated
D) Narrow and sinuous
36. A basin form factor of 1 indicates a basin that is:
A) Highly elongated
B) Circular or nearly circular
C) Elongated in one direction
D) Irregular in shape
37. The basin form factor (Bf) is a measure of:
A) The stream ordering within a basin
B) The elongation of a drainage basin
C) The drainage density of a basin
D) The average slope of the basin
38. Which factor has the LEAST direct influence on drainage density?
A) Geology (rock type and structure)
B) Climate (rainfall intensity and duration)
C) Relief (slope)
D) Vegetation cover
39. Low drainage density is characteristic of:
A) Areas with highly resistant rock
B) Areas with dense vegetation and high infiltration rates
C) Areas with steep slopes and heavy rainfall
D) Areas with hard, impermeable surfaces
40. A high drainage density is typically associated with:
A) Permeable rock types and gentle slopes
B) Impermeable rock types, steep slopes, and low infiltration
C) Arid climates with sparse vegetation
D) Large drainage basins
41. Drainage density (Dd) is defined as:
A) The total stream length divided by the total basin area
B) The total basin area divided by the total stream length
C) The number of streams divided by the basin perimeter
D) The average stream length divided by the basin area
42. The concept of bifurcation ratio is closely related to which of Horton's laws?
A) Law of stream lengths
B) Law of drainage density
C) Law of stream numbers
D) Law of basin area
43. A higher bifurcation ratio generally indicates:
A) A more mature drainage basin
B) A less dissected drainage basin
C) A more youthful and rapidly developing drainage basin
D) A wider and flatter basin
44. What does the bifurcation ratio (Rb) represent in a drainage network?
A) The average length of streams in a basin
B) The ratio of the number of streams of order 'n' to the number of streams of order 'n+1'
C) The total length of all streams in a basin
D) The average slope of the basin
45. In the Strahler stream ordering system, if two streams of the same order merge, the resulting stream is assigned:
A) The same order number
B) An order number one higher than the merging streams
C) An order number one lower than the merging streams
D) The sum of the order numbers of the merging streams
46. Which stream ordering system assigns the highest order number to the main trunk stream of a basin?
A) Strahler system
B) Horton system
C) Shreve system
D) Langbein system
47. According to the Horton's law of stream orders, which of the following is typically true for a drainage basin?
A) The number of streams of any order is the reciprocal of the number of streams of the next higher order.
B) The number of streams of any order is directly proportional to the number of streams of the next lower order.
C) The number of streams of any order is roughly a geometric progression.
D) The number of streams of the lowest order is the largest.
48. The process of assigning a numerical rank to streams within a drainage basin is known as:
A) Drainage density calculation
B) Stream ordering
C) Basin elongation
D) Slope analysis
49. Which method is primarily used to quantify the shape and characteristics of drainage basins and stream networks?
A) Geological mapping
B) Remote sensing interpretation
C) Morphometric analysis
D) Soil survey
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