KEY TERMS - water on the land

Question 1

hydrosphere

Answer 1

made up of all stores and flows of water in gas, liquid or solid states around the globe

Question 2

hydrological cycle

Answer 2

a circle which contains the transfers of water between land and the atmosphere

Question 3

stores

Answer 3

places where water is stored e.g. reservoir, ocean

Question 4

flows

Answer 4

any kind of water flow e.g. surface run off, ground water

Question 5

processes

Answer 5

the way that water moves e.g. evaporation, precipitation

Question 6

bedload

Answer 6

rocks and sediment at the bottom of the river

Question 7

source

Answer 7

where the river begins

Question 8

drainage basin

Answer 8

the area from which water drains into the river

Question 9

watershed

Answer 9

an imaginary line that separates two drainage basins

Question 10

confluence

Answer 10

the point where two rivers meet

Question 11

tributaries

Answer 11

smaller rives which join the main river

Question 12

flood plain

Answer 12

land the floods when a river overflows

Question 13

mouth

Answer 13

where the river flows into the sea or lake

Question 14

river bed

Answer 14

the bottom of the river channel

Question 15

river bank

Answer 15

the side of the river channel

Question 16

channel

Answer 16

river flows in this

Question 17

erosion

Answer 17

the gradual removal of rock from a river banks and bed

Question 18

abrasion

Answer 18

where river beds and banks are worn down as the river water ‘throws’ particles against the bed and bank. sometimes at high velocity

Question 19

attrition

Answer 19

material (the load) carried by the river, ‘bump’ into each other and so are smoothed and broken down into smaller particles.

Question 20

solution (erosion)

Answer 20

the chemicals/acids in the water slowly dissolve the bed and banks

Question 21

hydraulic action

Answer 21

this process involves the force of the water against the banks and bed forcing bits of rock to break off

Question 22

gradient

Answer 22

how steep the river channel is

Question 23

rock resistance

Answer 23

how easy a rock is to erode

Question 24

velocity

Answer 24

the speed on the river downstream (m/s)

Question 25

discharge

Answer 25

the amount of water flowing in a river per second

Question 26

thalweg

Answer 26

line of fastest flow

Question 27

river cliff

Answer 27

the over hang at a meander where the river has eroded underneath (under cutting)

Question 28

slip off slope

Answer 28

in the inner bend of an meander where the material is deposited causing the side of the river to be gradual

Question 29

meander

Answer 29

sharp ‘hair pin’ bend in a river

Question 30

ox bow lake

Answer 30

a horse shoe or semi circle area that represents the former location of an meander

Question 31

capacity

Answer 31

the overall weight of the load (maximum the river can carry) mainly made up of small bits

Question 32

competence

Answer 32

the largest individual particle a river can carry. e.g. the largest rock the river can carry

Question 33

flood plains

Answer 33

the area of flat land adjacent to the river channel. this is the area in which the water overflows onto in bank full condictions

Question 34

natural levees

Answer 34

natural flood defence which build up over time and increase the volume of water the river can hold

Question 35

artificial levees

Answer 35

man made flood defence which increase the volume of water the river channel can hold

Question 36

delta

Answer 36

an flat area of sand and slit built out into the sea

Question 37

waterfall

Answer 37

a geological formation here flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep cliff

Question 38

traction

Answer 38

rolling along of material because the material is too heavy

Question 39

saltation

Answer 39

the rising and falling of material because it is too heavy to hold onto to for a long time

Question 40

spension

Answer 40

holds material up and carried in the river

Question 41

solution (transportation)

Answer 41

tiny particles dissolved in the water

Question 42

catchment

Answer 42

the area which water drains into a particular basin (the whole area)

Question 43

volume

Answer 43

the amount of water in a rivers cross section (m^2)

Question 44

base flow

Answer 44

the starting and finishing flow of the river either side of increased discharge

Question 45

peak discharge

Answer 45

maximum discharge following rainfall

Question 46

peak rainfall

Answer 46

the highest rate of precipitation during an rainfall event

Question 47

lag time

Answer 47

the time between peak rainfall and peak discharge

Question 48

rising limb

Answer 48

increasing discharge as the storm water enters the river channel

Question 49

receding limb

Answer 49

fall in discharge which means discharge goes back to base flow

Question 50

impermeable rock

Answer 50

rock without holes so water cannot be absorbed

Question 51

deforestation

Answer 51

the cutting down of trees

Question 52

urbanisation

Answer 52

the building of new building and houses destroying what once was green land

Question 53

channelization

Answer 53

making the river channel straight and bed and banks out on concrete causing the river to flow faster

Question 54

hard engineering

Answer 54

flood prevention methods that work against nature. tend to be expensive but have a great impact on the surrounding area

Question 55

soft engineering

Answer 55

flood prevention methods that work with nature (ecological) they are normally cheaper than hard engineering but are less effective

Question 56

water stress

Answer 56

where the amount of water in a area is limiting development and population

Question 57

water deficit

Answer 57

the amount of water required to replace the water which has been lost