Rivers

Question 1

What are the different types of erosion rivers experience

Answer 1

Attrition
Abrasion
Solution
Hydraulic action

Question 2

What are attrition and hydraulic action in rivers

Answer 2

Attrition= the action of rocks banging into eachother and making the stones smaller and rounded

Hydraulic action = the force of the water hitting riverbed and banks

Question 3

What are solution and Abrasion in rivers

Answer 3

Solution - the ph of the water slowly wearing down rocks over time

Abrasion = when the rocks bounce across the river bed causing particles to become eroded

Question 4

What are the types of river transportation

Answer 4

Suspension
Solution
Salitation
Traction

Question 5

What are traction and salitation in rivers

Answer 5

Traction - where large rocks and boulders are rolled along the river bed

Saltation - where small stones are bounced along the river bed

Question 6

What are some upper course features and processes

Answer 6

Narrow v shaped valleys

Gorges are found here from waterfalls

Rapids and large boulders (found from the weathering of steep valleys)

Vertical erosion

Question 7

What sre some middle course features and processes

Answer 7

River begins to meander

Wider valleys

Ox bow lakes

Levees are formed which are river banks formed by flooding

Wide floodplains

Question 8

What sre some Lower course features and processes

Answer 8

River at its slowest -lost all energy

Very wide flat valleys

Large meanders

Question 9

Whats a tributary and a confluence

Answer 9

Tributary - Small streams which feed into the main river

Confluence - where two or more tributaries meet

Question 10

What is a watershed and a channel

Answer 10

Watershed - an area of high land which surrounds the river drainage basin

Channel- the main body of the river

Question 11

What are the processes which cause a v shaped valley

Answer 11

The river erodeds downwards via Abrasion

As the river cuts down the steep sides are attacked by weathering.
Therefore loosening soil and rock

The loosened material gradually falls into the river via gravity

When all loosened material has fallen in the river the result is a v shaped valley

Question 12

Where does erosion and deposition occur on river bends

Answer 12

Erosion = happens on the outside bend in the “thalweg “which means
the fastest flow

Depostion= on the inside bend as the channel moves slower and the material is suspension is dropped

Question 13

What are the physical causes of flooding

Answer 13

Heavy rain
Prolonged rain
Snow melt
Impermeable rock types
Low lying land

Question 14

What are the Human causes of flooding

Answer 14

Deforestation- less interception more surfsce run off

Urbanisation - Impermeable ground means water can’t be absorbed meaning more surfsce run off

Question 15

WHere is the river tees

Answer 15

The river tees is in the north east of England High in the pennine hills near cross fell

Question 16

Ehat are the features of the river tees upper course

Answer 16

“High force “ water fall - formed from alternating bands of windstone and limestone

Huge gorge

Lower down the course has levees floodplains and meanders

Question 17

Hard engineering methods benefits

Answer 17

Dam - effective - can generate hydroelectric power - very durable

artificial levees - cheap temporary

Question 18

Hard engineering methods disadvantages

Answer 18

Dam - expensive - building takes a long time

Artificial levees - not as effective as other methods , not as durable either

Question 19

Soft engineering methods advantages

Answer 19

Afforestation- cheap- effective - looks pleasant

River restoration- looks pleasant - creates wetland increasing biodiversity- increased water storage area

Question 20

Soft engineering methods disadvantages

Answer 20

Afforestation- wooden areas may be less pleasant looking than open grass to some - trees take a while to grow

River restoration- not as effective - loss of farming land - can be expensive