Rivers Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the water cycle?
The continuous movement of water on the Earth and its atmosphere.
What is infiltration?
The downward movement of water from the surface into the soil.
What is percolation?
The downward movement of water from the soil into the rock beneath.
What is surface run-off?
Water flows across the surface of the earth becoming a stream, tributary or river.
What is groundwater flow?
Water flowing slowly through rocks towards the sea.
What is evaporation?
The process of turning water into vapour.
What is evapotranspiration?
A combination of water evaporated from land and water surfaces, including vegetation, and water released through plant leaves into the atmosphere.
What is through flow?
Water flowing downhill within the soil.
What is a drainage basin?
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries, flowing downslope into a body of water such as a lake or the sea.
What is an input?
How water is introduced into the
drainage basin system and is known as precipitation.
What is an output?
How the water is released either back to the sea or back into the atmosphere - river discharge,
evapotranspiration.
What is a store?
How water is stored or held for a period of time within the drainage basin system -interception
(by vegetation), soil moisture, surface storage (lakes) and groundwater.
What is a transfer?
A process or flow of water from one place to another in the drainage basin system - surface run-off/overland flow, infiltration,
percolation
through-flow,
groundwater flow.
Fill in the gaps. The source is the _______ of a river.
start/beginning
Fill in the gaps. The mouth is the _______ of a river.
end
What are the 4 types of transportation in rivers?
Traction, saltation, solution and suspension.
What is traction?
When large, heavy pebbles are rolled along the river bed. This is most common near the source of a river, as here the load is larger.
What is suspension?
When lighter sediment is suspended (carried) within the water, most commonly near the mouth of the river.
What is saltation?
When pebbles are bounced along the river bed, most commonly near the
source.
What is solution?
The transport of dissolved chemicals. This varies along the river depending on the presence of soluble rocks.
Fill in the gaps. The three parts of a river are called the _________, ___________ and __________ course.
Upper, middle, lower
What main activity and features are found in the upper course?
Vertical erosion usually occurs in the upper course and the main features are tributaries, waterfalls, V-shaped valleys and gorges.
What main activity and features are found in the middle course?
Lateral erosion usually occurs in the middle course and the main features are meanders and slip-off slopes.
What main activity and features are found in the lower course?
Deposition usually occurs in the lower course and the main features are floodplains, estuaries and oxbow lakes.
