If the width of a river doubles while depth and velocity stay the same, discharge will:

Study for the Introduction to Physical Geology Exam with quizzes and multiple choice questions. Each question comes with hints and explanations to help you prepare effectively. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

If the width of a river doubles while depth and velocity stay the same, discharge will:

Explanation:
Discharge is the volume of water flowing past a point per unit time, and it equals flow velocity times cross-sectional area (Q = V × A). For a river cross-section, A is width × depth. If depth and velocity stay the same and the width doubles, the cross-sectional area doubles as well. With velocity unchanged, the discharge must therefore double. The other outcomes would require changes in velocity, depth, or cross-sectional area beyond simply widening the channel.

Discharge is the volume of water flowing past a point per unit time, and it equals flow velocity times cross-sectional area (Q = V × A). For a river cross-section, A is width × depth. If depth and velocity stay the same and the width doubles, the cross-sectional area doubles as well. With velocity unchanged, the discharge must therefore double. The other outcomes would require changes in velocity, depth, or cross-sectional area beyond simply widening the channel.

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