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CE - Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

1
Q

Abrasion

A

A type of erosion involving rock particles being scraped against, and wearing away, the surface of other rocks.

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2
Q

Attrition

A

A type of erosion involving rock fragments being ground together to become smaller, smoother and more rounder.

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3
Q

Braiding

A

A braided river is a type of river that form a network of many branches within a channel.

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4
Q

Confluence

A

When two or more flowing bodies of water join together to form a single channel.

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5
Q

Corrosion

A

When water gets in cracks or holes in material and dissolves the rock through chemical chnages.

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6
Q

Erosion

A

The wearing away of material.

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7
Q

Drainage/river basin/watershed

A

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

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8
Q

Fault

A

A fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock.

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9
Q

Floodplain

A

An area of flat land alongside a river.

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10
Q

Gorge

A

A narrow valley with steep, rocky walls found further down a river from a waterfall. A gorge is formed as a waterfall moves backwards from erosion.

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11
Q

Hydraulic action

A

When water enters cracks in rocks and compresses the air, which dislodges to rock and erodes it.

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12
Q

Impermeable

A

Something water cannot pass through.

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12
Q

Interception

A

When precipitation doesn’t reach the soil and is instead intercepted by the canopy.

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13
Q

Infiltration

A

The process by which water enters the soil.

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13
Q

Lower course

A

The final section of a river which flows into another body of water.

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14
Q

Middle course

A

The second section of the river, between the upper and lower course.

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15
Q

Mouth

A

The place where the river enters the larger body of water, found at the end of the lower course.

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16
Q

Oxbow lake

A

The remains of meanders in rivers, stillwater lakes.

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17
Q

Porous

A

Porous rocks contain empty spaces in which fluids can be stored.

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18
Q

Rapids

A

Areas of fast-flowing, shallow water in a stream.

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19
Q

Plunge pool

A

A pool at the bottom of a waterfall caused by erosion.

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20
Q

Resevoir

A

An artificial lake where water is stored, often formed by constructing dams across rivers.

21
Q

River cliff

A

The outside bank in a meander in a stream, which is continuously undergoing erosion.

22
Q

Run off

A

When there is more water than the land can absorb (fully saturated), the excess liquid flows across the surface of the land and into other bodies of water.

23
Q

Saltation

A

The bouncing of sediment as it is picked up, carried along, and dropped repeatedly by flowing water.

24
Q

Scree

A

A collection of loose pieces of rock found on the sides of hills and mountains.

25
Q

Slip-off slope

A

A depositional landform that occurs on the inside convex bank of a meandering river.

26
Q

Solution

A

When sea water dissolves certain types of rocks and carries the particles in the flow of the water.

27
Q

Source

A

The place where a river begins.

28
Q

Spur

A

A lateral ridge descending from a hill or ridge.

29
Q

Suspension

A

Light sediment is suspended within water.

30
Q

Throughflow

A

The movement diagonally downslope of water through the soil.

31
Q

Traction

A

A method of transportation where large stones or boulders are rolled along the riverbed.

32
Q

Tributary

A

A stream that feeds into a larger stream or river.

33
Q

Upper course

A

The first part of a river.

34
Q

Waterfall

A

A river or other body of water’s steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below.

35
Q

Watershed

A

An area of land that drains rainfall into streams and rivers. Smaller than a river basin.

36
Q

Weathering

A

The breakdown of material in-situ.

37
Q

What are the five types of transportation?

A

Traction, saltation, suspension, solution, floatation.

38
Q

What are some characteristics of the Upper Valley?

A
  • Vertical erosion with hydraulic action, abrasion and attrition being the dominant processes.
  • Traction and saltation at high flow.
  • Load size is large and angular.
  • V shaped valleys.
  • Begins with the source.
38
Q

What are some characteristics of the Middle Reaches?

A
  • Channel is deeper and wider.
  • Vertical erosion decreasing in importance, more lateral erosion and deposition.
  • Suspension is the main mode of transport.
  • Load is becoming smaller and less angular.
39
Q

What are some characteristics of the Lower Reaches?

A
  • Channel is at its widest and deepest, and may be tidal.
  • Deposition more important than erosion.
  • Fine material deposited.
  • Large amount of load but the size is very small and very rounded.
  • Ends in the mouth.
39
Q

Is the profile of the river convex or concave and how does the gradient change?

A

The river has a concave profile. It starts of steep but then reduces with the distance from the source.

39
Q

How are V-shaped valleys formed?

A

The river erodes downwards. The sides are cut down and attacked by weathering, and the loosening material slowly creeps down the slope by gravity (or is washed down by rainwater). This results in a steep sided valley with the shape of a V.

40
Q

How is a waterfall formed?

A

There is a layer of hard rock on a layer of soft rock. The water erodes the soft rock below the hard rock, and creates a plunge pool and an overhang. The overhang eventually collapsed from its weight, erosion and weathering. The collapsed rocks are used as abrasion and erosion tools. The waterfall retreats back upstream to create a gorge.

40
Q

Where are meanders found?

A

The middle and lower course.

41
Q

How are meanders formed?

A

They are formed by deposition and erosion. The river encounters an obstacle, and has to change paths to get around it. The faster current is on the outside bend, the slower one on the inside bend. The outside bank is undercut from erosion, and the material is deposited on the inside of the bend. This forms a river cliff and a slip-off slope.

41
Q

How are oxbow lakes formed?

A

They are formed when the meander neck becomes narrowed from erosion, and then the river breaks through the neck. Deposition then blocks off the meander.

42
Q

How are floodplains made?

A

The river is kept within bounds by the banks. When a flood occurs, the river overflows onto the valley plain surrounding. Smaller deposition is carried further, while larger deposition is not carried far, as energy and speed are lost. The layers of successive flood material build up, and the levees increase in height.

43
Q

How are deltas formed?

A

Deltas are formed when rivers empty water and sediment into seas, lakes or oceans. The rivers slows down as it approaches the body of water. The river then splits into distributaries. This causes bars or islands of sediment to build in the middle of the main channel. Layers of sediment build the delta out into the sea, as top set, fore set and bottom set beds.

44
Q

What are some causes for floods?

A

Climate conditions - e.g. heavy rain
Physical features - e.g. steep sided valleys
Human factors - e.g. urbanisation

45
Q

What are some effects for floods?

A

Buildings destroyed/damaged
People/animals injured (drown)
Infrastructure damages
Crops ruined
Insurance claims
Drinking water contaminated

46
Q

How are some floods managed?

A

Hard engineering - more expensive, uses more raw materials and builds structures that alter the existing environment.

Soft engineering - works with the natural environment to prevent flooding, e.g. permeable paving, filter strips, wet basins or ponds, wetlands.

CE - Geography (10 decks)

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