Rivers

Question 1

Stages of a river

Answer 1

Upper course/youthful stage

Middle course/mature stage

Lower course/old stage

Question 2

Course

Answer 2

Rout a river takes as it flows into the sea

Question 3

Tributary

Answer 3

River which joins a larger one

Question 4

Confluence

Answer 4

Place where rivers join

Question 5

Mouth

Answer 5

Place where a river enters a sea or lake

Question 6

Estuary

Answer 6

Part of a river’s course which is tidal

Question 7

Basin

Answer 7

Entire area drained by a river and it’s tributaries

Question 8

Watershed

Answer 8

High ground which separates one river basin from another

Question 9

Youthful/upper stage

Answer 9

River has steep gradient

Question 10

Mature/middle stage

Answer 10

River has a gentler gradient

Question 11

Old/lower stage

Answer 11

River has an almost flat gradient

Question 12

Youthful stage explanation

Answer 12

As river moves through upper/youthful stage, cuts downwards

Gradient is steep, river narrow

Vertical erosion in this highland part helps to creat steep sided v-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, rapids, waterfalls, gorges

Question 13

Erosion

Answer 13

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition

Question 14

Hydraulic action

Answer 14

Force of moving water breaks off material from banks + bed of river

Question 15

Abrasion

Answer 15

Load of material carried along by river hits banks * bed of river, wearing them away

Question 16

Attrition

Answer 16

Load is itself worn down smoothed, rounded

Question 17

Solution

Answer 17

Some rocks dissolved by acids in water

Question 18

Landforms of youthful stage

Answer 18

V-shaped valley
Interlocking spurs
Waterfalls & gorges

Question 19

Transportation in a river

Answer 19

Traction/rolling

Bouncing

Suspension

Solution

Question 20

Traction/rolling

Answer 20

When large objects (pebbles, stones) are rolled along bed of river

Question 21

Bouncing

Answer 21

Smaller objects, eg. small pebles, bounced along bed of river

Question 22

Suspension

Answer 22

Lightest objects, eg. slit + clay, carried along suspended in water

Question 23

Solution (transportation)

Answer 23

Dissolved material (eg. limestone) is carried in solution

Question 24

Mature river

Answer 24

River has a greater volume, now that many tributaries joined it

Flows over gentler gradient (slope)

River has large load of material to transport

Flows slower

Question 25

Landforms of mature river

Answer 25

Wider valley Meander Flood plains

Question 26

Meander

Answer 26

Feature of erosion + deposition River's volume increased but slope is gentler in middle course. River slows down on inside of bend - deposition River speeds up on outside of bend - erosion

Question 27

Flood plains

Answer 27

Area at either side of river is called flood plain When river floods it deposits fine fertile clay called alluvium

Question 28

Old river

Answer 28

River starts to slow down bc gradient is flat Has large load (sand, rock, etc.) & starts to deposit it

Question 29

Landforms of old river

Answer 29

Oxbow lakes Leeves Deltas

Question 30

Oxbow lake

Answer 30

1. Formed by erosion + deposition 2. Begins life as meander 3. Outer curve - river moves fast + erodes. 4. Load of river increases 5. At inner curve - river moves slowly as load is deposited 6. Dloely, open end of curve closes 7. River now flows straight through instead of following meander 8. Sediment is deposited, seals ends and creates oxbow lake

Question 31

Leeves

Answer 31

Raised banks of alluvium found along banks of some rivers in old age When river floods, deposits load After many periods of flooding, deposits build up to form leeves

Question 32

Deltas

Answer 32

Triangular areas of land formed by deposition When mouth of river becomes clogged become of deposition of load, river splits into smaller channels called distributaries Deposits build up above sea level, form delta Examples - river Nile, Missisipi, Amazon

Question 33

Advantages of dams

Answer 33

Can be used to hold back water Used for production of hydroelectric power Can be used for water based activities

Question 34

Disadvantages of dams

Answer 34

Farm land may be flooded destruction of people's proprty People's homes destroyed, had to be relocated Large build up of alluvium behind dams

Question 35

Source

Answer 35

Where river begins