Rivers

Question 1

where does a source of a river usually begin?

Answer 1

springs on a hillside

Question 2

what is a watershed usually?

Answer 2

a steep ridge of high ground

Question 3

what do rivers help to do?

Answer 3

transfer water from the land back to the sea

Question 4

what is the area drained by a river known as?

Answer 4

drainage basin

Question 5

what is the amount of volume of water flowing down a river called

Answer 5

its DISCHARGE

Question 6

How does more rainfall increase a river’s discharge?

Answer 6

it will add to the volume of water accumulated in the river

Question 7

what are the 3 ‘work’ processes of a river?

Answer 7

1) transporting
2) eroding
3) depositing material

Question 8

what will happen when a river has too much energy?

Answer 8

it will erode its bed and banks

Question 9

what happens to the energy of the river as the river flows faster?

Answer 9

energy increases

Question 10

how does erosion affect how much a river can transport?

Answer 10

the more a river erodes, the more material it has to transport

Question 11

what will happen when a river runs out of energy?

Answer 11

it will deposit the material it’s transporting

Question 12

when does a river deposit material?

Answer 12

when it runs out of energy

Question 13

name the 4 types of erosion

Answer 13

• abrasion
• attrition
• hydraulic action
• solution

Question 14

T or F?
attrition is the form of erosion when rocks such as chalk or limestone are dissolved in the river water

Answer 14

false
real answer: solution

Question 15

describe the hydraulic action process

Answer 15

the force of water pushes itself into cracks in the rock at the bed/banks, breaking bits off

Question 16

describe the abrasion process

Answer 16

the material carried along by the river hits the sides of the bed of the channel, each impact breaking pieces of rock off the bed and banks

Question 17

describe the process of attrition

Answer 17

rocks and stones in the river collide against each other due to the force of the water, each collision breaking pieces off each other, until they become small and rounded

Question 18

describe the solution process

Answer 18

rocks are dissolved in water and carried away as dissolved material

Question 19

which rocks are most susceptible to solution?

Answer 19

chalk and limestone

Question 20

name the 4 ways the river carries material as it flows downstream

Answer 20

1) traction
2) saltation
3) suspension
4) solution

Question 21

describe the process of traction

Answer 21

boulders/large rocks are rolled along the bed of a river

Question 22

describe the process of saltation

Answer 22

small pebbles and stones are bounced along the sea bed

Question 23

describe the process of suspension

Answer 23

the water carries along fine, light particles of material

Question 24

describe the process of solution in terms of transporting material

Answer 24

the dissolved material is transported

Question 25

why does the heavy material get dropped first in deposition?

Answer 25

as the river's discharge and velocity reduce, it is unable to hold onto the heaviest materials

Question 26

name the 3 types of weathering processes

Answer 26

1) mechanical 2) chemical 3) biological

Question 27

what is another name for mechanical weathering?

Answer 27

physical weathering

Question 28

what is mechanical weathering?

Answer 28

where rocks are broken down but there is no change to their chemical composition

Question 29

what is chemical weathering?

Answer 29

when rocks break up due to the change of their chemical composition

Question 30

what is biological weathering?

Answer 30

where rocks are broken up by the actions of plants or animals

Question 31

which type of weathering is freeze-thaw weathering?

Answer 31

mechanical/physical

Question 32

tree roots cause which type of weathering?

Answer 32

biological weathering

Question 33

burrowing animals cause which type of weathering?

Answer 33

biological weathering

Question 34

which type of weathering does acid rain cause?

Answer 34

chemical weathering

Question 35

name the process responsible for most material entering the river channel

Answer 35

mass movement

Question 36

name the two types of mass movement

Answer 36

- slumping - sliding

Question 37

what is another name for slumping?

Answer 37

rotational-slipping

Question 38

describe the process of sliding in 3 points

Answer 38

1) occurs along a surface of weakness i.e fault, joint or bedding plane 2) material becomes saturated with water/weakened by weathering 3) gravity pulls material down in a straight line

Question 39

what is found at the base of a slide?

Answer 39

piles of debri known as TALUS

Question 40

where is slumping common?

Answer 40

on river banks

Question 41

When does slumping happen?

Answer 41

when a section of land moves down a slope as a whole

Question 42

T or F? slumping happens when there is dry weather after wet weather

Answer 42

false wrong way round wet weather after dry weather

Question 43

describe the process of slumping. Include mentions of how weather plays a part. ( 5 points)

Answer 43

- dry weather causes clay to contract and crack - wet weather after causes rainwater to run into the cracks and is absorbed until the clay becomes SATURATED - this weakens the rock - due to increased weight from water and the effect of gravity its slips down the slope - this leaves the material 'tipped' backwards

Question 44

how is a river typically divided?

Answer 44

into 3 sections

Question 45

name the 3 sections of a river

Answer 45

- upper - middle - lower

Question 46

T or F? the lower part of a river is closer to the source than the upper part of a river

Answer 46

false the upper part is the section closest to the river source

Question 47

what type of erosion is found in the upper section of a river?

Answer 47

vertical abrasion (cuts down rather than sideways)

Question 48

what is the shape of a valley in the upper section of a river?

Answer 48

'V'

Question 49

what does a valley on the upper course of a river contain?

Answer 49

interlocking spurs

Question 50

A 'V' shaped valley is made up of two what?

Answer 50

interlocking spurs

Question 51

define interlocking spur

Answer 51

upstanding ridges of land that a river flows around

Question 52

Which type of erosion is found in the middle section of a river?

Answer 52

LATERAL erosion

Question 53

T or F? in the middle course of a river, there is a very shallow slope and broadening valley floor with sloping valley cliffs

Answer 53

true

Question 54

name two physical features found in the middle section of a river

Answer 54

- meanders - river-cliffs

Question 55

name three physical features found in lower sections of rivers

Answer 55

- ox bow lakes - levees - flood plains

Question 56

in the lower section of a river, which of the following describe the shape of the valley: A) small and steep B) wide and flat C) large and narrow

Answer 56

B) wide and flat

Question 57

name two types of erosion found on the lower course of a river and where they are found

Answer 57

1) lateral abrasion on the sides of the valley 2) MAINLY deposition of sand/gravel on beds and sides

Question 58

define 'width' in terms of rivers

Answer 58

the distance from one river bank to another

Question 59

if the width, depth and velocity of a river increase, what must also increase?

Answer 59

the discharge

Question 60

As you move from the source of a river to its mouth, what happens to the gradient? Why?

Answer 60

gradient decreases because the land becomes less steep

Question 61

How does sediment size and shape change downstream? (2 points)

Answer 61

- the size and shape of sediment will become smaller - because they will have been eroded more

Question 62

The changing slope of a river is called what?

Answer 62

LONG PROFILE

Question 63

What is the Case Study?

Answer 63

River Tees

Question 64

Why is surface run off at the River Tees high? (2 points)

Answer 64

IMPERMEABLE ROCKS steep slopes

Question 65

What does the long profile of the river tees have?

Answer 65

a steep gradient

Question 66

What is the waterfall at the river tees known as?

Answer 66

High Force

Question 67

Over time, High Force has retreated upstream, leaving an impressive what?

Answer 67

gorge

Question 68

As the River Tees leaves the upland area, the valley becomes what? A) smaller and flatter B) wider and steeper C) wider and flatter

Answer 68

C) wider and flatter