Geomorphology Flashcards
(238 cards)
Define a drainage basin
The bowl-shaped depression from which water drains off the land.
Area occupied by a river system
What flows in a drainage basin?
A river system or stream network
What is a river system/stream network made up of?
A number of individual stream channels that join together
What are tributaries?
Rivers that join the main stream
What is the confluence?
The point where one river flows into another river in the drainage basin
What is a watershed?
The high ground that separates one drainage basin from the drainage basin that lies alongside it
The size and shape of a drainage basin is dependent on…
The position of the watershed
What is an area of high ground that separates tributaries?
A spur or interfluve
Define the mouth of a river
Where the river ceases to flow as it flows into a lake or the sea
Define the catchment area
The area of land that “catches” the rain that falls and that supplies water to a river system
What is the main source of water that reaches a drainage basin?
Precipitation - mainly rainfall
What is interception
When water is intercepted by the vegetation
what is retention?
when water is retained on teh surface
What is evaporation?
when water evaporates back into the atmosphere
what is evapotranspiration
when water is given off by plants and then evaporates
What is infiltration
when water seeps into the ground
What 5 things can occur when precipitation doesn’t become runoff?
interception
retention
evaporation
evapotranspiration
infiltration
What is surface runoff?
precipitation that is not intercepted, retained, evaporated or infiltrated which flows on the surface of Earth
What two kinds of surface runoff are there?
Overland flow (sheetflow) - water that flows across the land after rain
Channel flow (streamflow) - water that flows in distinct channels called streams or rivers
What is groundwater?
Water that seeps underground
what is groundwater that seeps through the soil?
throughflow
what is groundwater that seeps into river
baseflow
What will happen (to any precipitation) if there is a steep gradient on the land?
more runoff and less infiltration
Define permeable rock
rock that has pores or spaces through which water can pass