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GCSE Geography > 1.3-River landscapes > Flashcards

1.3-River landscapes Flashcards

(50 cards)

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1
Q

What are 2 physical processes that shape a river?

A

weathering and mass movement

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2
Q

What are the 3 types of weathering?

A

mechanical
chemical
biological

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3
Q

What is biological weathering?

A

Roots growing and animals burrowing into cracks in rocks causing them to split apart.

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4
Q

What is chemical weathering?

A

slightly acidic rainwater dissolves rocks

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5
Q

What is mechanical weathering?

A

freeze thaw action

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6
Q

What is the process of freeze thaw action?

A

water fills a crack
water freezes and the crack widens
repeated action increases the size of the crack
loose blocks if rocks are called scree

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7
Q

What are 2 processes of mass movement?

A

sliding and slumping

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8
Q

What is sliding?

A

where rock or material moves down a slope under the influence of gravity

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9
Q

what is slumping?

A

Where the river erodes the bottom of the valley slope causing the rock to become saturated and slump/collapse, making the slope steeper.

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10
Q

What does slumping cause?

A

material to slide downwards particularly if it’s saturated with rainwater

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11
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

where the force of the water of the bed and banks removes material

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12
Q

What is attrittion?

A

the load that is carried by the river bumps together and wears down into smoother pieces

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13
Q

what is solution?

A

some minerals dissolving in river water

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14
Q

What is abrasion?

A

material carried by the river rubs against the bed and banks

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15
Q

What are the 4 main types or river transportation?

A

traction
salatation
suspension
soloution

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16
Q

What is it when large boulders are rolled along the river bed?

A

traction

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17
Q

What is it when smaller pebbles are bounced along the river bed?

A

salatation

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18
Q

What is it when finer sand and silt particles are carried along in the flow?

A

suspension

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19
Q

What is it called when some minerals are dissolved in the water and carried along in the flow?

A

solution

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20
Q

What shows how a river changes from source to mouth?

A

The Bradshaw model

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21
Q

what are charectaristics of the upper course of rhe river?

Study These Flashcards
A 
steep gradient 
small discharge 
shallow depth
narrow steep sides
fast velocity
22
Q

What are some charectaristics characteristics of the middle course?

Study These Flashcards
A 
shallower gradient 
large discharge 
deeper depth
flatter channel shape
fast velocity
23
Q

What are some charectaristics of the lower course of a river?

Study These Flashcards
A

shallow gradient
very large discharge
deep depth
fast velocity

24
Q

What features are formed in the upper course?

Study These Flashcards
A

waterfalls

interlocking spurs

25
What features are formed in the lower course?
meanders floodplain leeves ox bow lakes
26
What features are formed in the middle course?
meanders | floodplains
27
What increases the frequency of storms?
more periods of heavy rain and overflowing rivers
28
What increases the risk of flooding?
frequency of storms periods of hot dry weather soil becoming inpermeable during cold conditions
29
how are waterfalls formed?
The soft rock erodes more quickly, undercutting the hard rock. The hard rock is left overhanging and because it isn’t supported, it eventually collapses. The fallen rocks crash into the plunge pool. They swirl around, causing more erosion. Over time, this process is repeated and the waterfall moves upstream. A steep-sided gorge is formed as the waterfall retreats.
30
how are gorges formed?
over time this undercutting process is repeated and the waterfall retreats
31
What is a floodplain?
the wide flat area of land either side of a river that experiences frequent floods.
32
how do levees develop?
the deposition process which takes place during flooding continues until embankments are created along the side of the river.
33
What is formed in the inside bend of a meander?
a point bar
34
how is an ox bow lake formed?
``` narrow neck gradually eroded water takes the quickest route deposition seals of old meander neck has been cut off completely free flowing lake left behind when meander is cut off ```
35
is the current stronger on the inside or outside of river bends?
outside
36
What 3 main human activitys change river land use?
urbanisation agriculture industry
37
how does urbanisation change river landscapes?
houses being build on flood plains changes the natural landscape channelisation for urban developments means deposition and erosion can't take place growing towns means there are fewer permeable surfaces so flooding is increased
38
how does agriculture change river landscapes?
abstracting water for irrigation causes a reduced velocity so deposition occurs instead ploughing fields increases the around amount of sediment in rivers trees intercepting rainfall reduces surface run off so water reaches rivers more quickly field drains destroy natural wetland landscapes
39
how does industry change river landscapes?
reducing water in rivers leads to less erosion industry processes can pollute rivers and destroy plants and animals
40
What are 4 physical causes of flooding?
rainfall intensity geology snowmelt drainage basin
41
how does rainfall intensity affect flooding?
a lot of rarainfall prevents soil infiltration which means it flows towards the river quicker and cause the bank level to rise
42
how does geology affect flooding?
rocks like granite are impermeable so water is unable to percolate from the thin soil above which means it flows towards the river quicker and cause the bank level to rise
43
how does snowmelt affect flooding?
at spring time warmer temprature will will melt snow creating more water which means it flows towards the river quicker and cause the bank level to rise
44
how does the drainage basin affect flooding?
steep sides valleys mean the water enters the river system quicker which means it flows towards the river quicker and cause the bank level to rise
45
what are 2 methods of hard river engineering?
channelisation | dams and resevoirs
46
what are 2 types of soft river engineering?
floodplain zoning washlands
47
what are the advantages and disadvantages of dams and resevoirs?
+store water until needed +can be used to generate hydrielecteuc power -expensive to build -sediment can build up in reservoirs
48
what are the advantages and disadvantages of channelisation?
+allows water to flow more quickly away from areas of flood risk - -visually unattractive - -more water is taken downstream which increases flood risk elsewhere
49
what are the advantages and disadvantages of flood plains zoning?
+ reduces number of homes at risk +allows infiltration so surface runoff is reduced --restricts growth of settlements
50
what are the advantages and disadvantages of washlands?
+creates area for floodwater to go +allows natural river processes --might limit the use of land

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