river system Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is a river system?
A river system consists of a main river and all its tributaries.
True or False: Rivers always flow from higher elevation to lower elevation.
True
What is the source of a river?
The beginning or starting point of a river.
What is the mouth of a river?
The end point where a river flows into a larger body of water.
What is a tributary?
A smaller river or stream that flows into a larger river.
What is a watershed?
An area of land that drains into a particular river or body of water.
What is the difference between erosion and deposition in a river system?
Erosion is the wearing away of land by water, while deposition is the dropping of sediment carried by the river.
What is a meander in a river?
A winding curve or bend in a river.
What is a delta?
A landform created by sediment deposited at the mouth of a river.
What is a floodplain?
The flat area surrounding a river that is prone to flooding.
What is the role of vegetation in a river system?
Vegetation helps prevent erosion and provides habitat for wildlife.
What is the longest river in the world?
The Nile River
What is the term for the process of a river changing its course over time?
River meandering
What is the term for the process of a river carrying away soil and rocks?
River erosion
What is the term for the process of a river depositing sediment on its banks?
River deposition
What is the term for the area where a river meets the ocean?
River mouth
What is the term for the high ground that separates one watershed from another?
Divide
What is the term for the flat area at the bottom of a valley where a river flows?
Floodplain
What is the term for the process of a river overflowing its banks and submerging adjacent land?
Flood
What is the term for the process of a river slowing down and depositing sediment when entering a larger body of water?
Delta formation
What is the term for the area of land that drains into a particular river system?
Watershed
What is the term for the process of a river eroding the outside of a meander bend, causing the river to change course?
Cut bank erosion
What is the term for the process of a river depositing sediment on the inside of a meander bend, creating a point bar?
Point bar deposition
