In the context of fluvial geomorphology, which of the following describes a stream whose course has been inherited from an older geological surface, cutting across newly uplifted structures regardless of rock hardness?

💡 Solution & Explanation

A superimposed stream flows across a landscape and maintains its course over newly exposed underlying geological structures that bear no relationship to the original surface topography. An antecedent stream maintains its path because it existed before the tectonic uplift occurred across its path. Recognizing drainage patterns helps geologists reconstruct the chronological tectonic history of mountain belts.