Rivers Flashcards
(21 cards)
Whats a drainage basin
A drainage basin is the area of
land drained by a river.
What are drainage basins out lined by
It is outlined by a boundary of high ground
Whats a valley
The area inside the water
Whats a flood plain
The land either side of the river which may flood if the river overflows.
Whats the mouth of a river
Where the river ends and meets the sea
Whats the confluence
The meeting point of 2 rivers.
What does tributary mean
Smaller rivers meeting a main one
Whats a watershed
Imaginary outline of a river basin where all the ran will collect into a river.
Whats the river basin
The area inside the watershed where all the rain will collect in the river.
Source definition
Where the river starts
3 tributary’s of the thames
Mole, wind rush, Ock
River erosion definition
The wearing away and break down of rock by a river.
Hydraulic action definition
The force of the river against the banks can cause air to be trapped in cracks. The pressure weakens the banks and gradually wears it away.
Abrasion defintion
Rocks carried along by the river rub and scrapes along the river bed and banks.
Attrition solution
Rocks being carried along by the river smash together and break into smaller smoother and rounder particles.
Solution
Soluble rock are dissolved into the river.
If rocks are round and smooth what does that mean
That they have had a lots of crashing into others
What is suspension
Small light particles of rock and debris are carried along as a suspension. They then make the water look cloudy or muddy.
What is solution
Dissolved material is carried along as a solution. You cannot see it.
Whats the bedload
The heavier the material is carried along the bottom. It is called the bed load. The larger stones and rocks roll along.
Deposition
Rivers are the same as us when they have ran out of energy they drop the heaviest load first.
