Rivers Flashcards
What is Abrasion?
Rocks carried along by the river wear down the river bed and banks.
What is Attrition?
Rocks being carried by the river smash together and break into smaller, smoother and rounder particles.
What is an Estuary?
The tidal mouth of a river where it meets the sea; wide banks of deposited mud are exposed at low tide.
What is a Gauge?
A narrow, steep sided valley, often formed as a waterfall retreats upstream.
What is hard engineering?
Involves the building of entirely artificial structures using various materials such as rock, concrete and steel to reduce, disrupt or stop the impact of river processes.
What is hydraulic action?
The force of the river against the banks can cause air to be trapped in cracks and crevices. This pressure weakens the banks and gradually wears it away.
What is the start of the river called?
Source
What is a tributary?
A small stream that joins a larger river.
What is a water shed?
The edge of a river basin.
What is the end of the river called (usually when a river joins the sea)?
Mouth
What is a confluence?
Where a tributary joins a larger river.
What is it called where a tributary joins a larger river?
Confluence
What is a small stream that joins a larger river called?
Tributary
What is a drainage basin?
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.
