Rivers Key Terms

Question 1

Landscape

Answer 1

An extensive area of land that is regarded as being visually and physically distinct

Question 2

Igneous rock (formation,characteristics, examples)

Answer 2

Formed by cooling of molten magma by volcanic activity, they have interlocking crystals, tough, resistant to erosion, e.g. basalt and granite

Question 3

Sedimentary rock (formation, characteristics, examples)

Answer 3

Formed by sediments being compacted and pressed down over time, usually form in layers, so,e are tough (limestone), most are weaker types (clay,chalk)

Question 4

Metamorphic

Answer 4

For,Ed by igneous and sedimentary rocks being out under pressure and heat, e.g. slate and schist

Question 5

Relief

Answer 5

The physical features of the landscape and includes, height above sea level, steepness and shapes of landscape features

Question 6

Drainage basin

Answer 6

An area drained by one main river with other small rivers

Question 7

Watershed

Answer 7

The edge of the drainage basin. Any water that falls outside the watershed will drain into another river

Question 8

Source

Answer 8

Where the river starts

Question 9

Mouth

Answer 9

Where the river meets the sea

Question 10

Tributary

Answer 10

Smaller river channel that joins the main channel

Question 11

Confluence

Answer 11

Where two river channels meet

Question 12

Main river channel

Answer 12

The river channel that tributaries flow into

Question 13

Long profile

Answer 13

The gradient if a river, from its source to its mouth

Question 14

Landform

Answer 14

Something in the natural works which you can actually see. E.g. waterfall, meander. Object in the landscape

Question 15

Process

Answer 15

So,etching that happens, processes help form different landforms

Question 16

Fluvial

Answer 16

Refers to processes associated with rivers and the deposits and landforms associated with them

Question 17

Erosion

Answer 17

,I’ve mentioned of eroded material by the river

Question 18

Transportation

Answer 18

The river drops the material it is transporting when it loses its energy

Question 19

Deposition

Answer 19

The wearing away and removal of the rivers bed and banks by a moving force

Question 20

Vertical erosion

Answer 20

Erodes the river valley and channel downwards so makes the river deeper

Question 21

Lateral erosion

Answer 21

Erodes the river valley and channel sideways so makes the river wider

Question 22

Hydraulic action

Answer 22

Sheer force if the water hitting the bed and banks. Weakens them causing them it breaks down.

Question 23

Abrasion

Answer 23

Sand and stones (load) in the river repeatedly scrape/hit the bed and banks and dislodge particles into the rivers flow

Question 24

Attrition

Answer 24

Rocks and stones knock together and wear each other away. Bits fall off and rocks reduce in size, becoming smoother and rounder

Question 25

Solution

Answer 25

This only occurs when the water flows over certain types of rock, including chalk and limestone. They are soluble so they dissolve into the water as it flows past

Question 26

Traction

Answer 26

Large particles like boulders are pushed along the river bed by the force of the water

Question 27

Suspension

Answer 27

Small particles like silt and clay are carried along by the water

Question 28

Saltation

Answer 28

Purple size particles are down so long be repaired by force of the water

Question 29

Solution (transportation)

Answer 29

Soluble material such as limestone dissolve in the water and are carried along

Question 30

Deposition

Answer 30

a river drops material it’s transporting, occurs when the rivers speed decreases because it has lost energy and can’t transport sediment, so it’s deposited

Question 31

River valley

Answer 31

The shape of the valley on either side of the river channel. This includes mountains of flatland depending on which part of the river it is

Question 32

River channel

Answer 32

This is the shape of the river itself. It is about the width and depth of the water

Question 33

Cross profile

Answer 33

And shows you what a cross-section of the rivers channel looks like at certain points along a river’s course e.g. upper course middle course and lower course

Question 34

Upper course

Answer 34

Narrow, v-shaped channel, vertical erosion

Question 35

Middle course

Answer 35

Wider channel, u shaped channel, lateral erosion and deposition

Question 36

Lower course

Answer 36

Channel is at its widest, depostion

Question 37

Discharge

Answer 37

Amount of water flowing per metre per second

Question 38

Load

Answer 38

Material transported by the river

Question 39

Hard rock

Answer 39

Less likely to be eroded, like granite

Question 40

Soft rock

Answer 40

More likely ti be eroded, like clay

Question 41

Interlocking Spurs

Answer 41

Form when rock is too hard or when lateral erosion is not strong enough to erode the rock, the river flows around the rock

Question 42

Meander

Answer 42

A large bend in the river channel, found in the middle and lower courses

Question 43

Thalweg *8/9 word

Answer 43

Line of fastest flow int the river and it swings from side to side (example in L6)

Question 44

Helicoidal flow *8/9 word

Question 45

meander migration

Answer 45

Overtime, meanders become more bendy, as this happens they migrate across the valleys flood plain

Question 46

Pools *7 word

Answer 46

Deep sections on the outside if the bend

Question 47

Riffles *7 word

Answer 47

Shallow sections where sediment has been deposited