Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Water On The Land > The river valley > Flashcards

The river valley Flashcards

(94 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

The sheer force of the water hitting the bed and banks causes erosion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

When is hydraulic action most effective?

A

When the water is moving fast and when there is a lot of water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is abrasion?

A

It occurs when the load the river is carrying repeatedly hits the river bed and the banks, causing some of the material to break off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is attrition?

A

When the stones and boulders carried by the river knock against each other and over time are weakened, causing bits to fall off and reduce in size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is solution erosion?

A

Solution occurs when the river flows on certain types of rock, such as chalk and limestone. These are soluble in rainwater and become part of the water as they are dissolved by it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Which ways can a river erode?

A

Downwards (vertical) and sideways (lateral)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

As a river goes further down its course what type of erosion takes over?

A

As a river gets further down its course, vertical erosion becomes less important and lateral erosion takes over

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the 4 ways a river transports its load?

A

Traction, saltation, suspension and solution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is traction?

A

Is the method used for moving the largest material. This is too heavy to lose contact with the bed, so material such as boulders are rolled along

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is saltation?

A

Moves the small stones and grains of sand by bouncing them along the bed. This lighter load leaves the river bed in a hopping motion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the four ways a river can erode?

A

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition and solution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the river channel?

A

The part of the river valley occupied by the water itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a rivers load?

A

Material of any size carried by the river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is suspension?

A

Is a means of carrying very fine material within the water, so that it floats in the river and is moved as it flows

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is solution?

A

The dissolved load and only occurs with certain rock types that are soluble in rainwater. This is true of chalk and limestone and the load is not visible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is deposition?

A

Where the river dumps or leaves behind material that it has been carrying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Why does a river deposit its largest material first?

A

It is the heaviest to carry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Why will a river deposit a smaller load much further downstream

A

It is smaller so less heavy and can be carried further downstream

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Why may a river slow down and deposit some of its load?

A

The speed of the water slows
The volume of water in the river falls
The amount of eroded material in the water increases
The river reaches its mouth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

When specifically may a river deposit its load by the speed of the water or volume of water change?

A

When the gradient changes at the foot of a mountain or when a river enters a lake or the sea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the long profile of a river?

A

A line representing the course of the river from its source (high up) to its mouth where it ends usually in a lake or the sea, and the changes in height along its course f

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Where will a river on its long profile have the most potential energy and why?

A

Near the source due to the steep drop

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What should a typical long profile look like?

A

A concave shape, the steep reduction in height near the source gives way to a more gradual reduction further downstream

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Why is a perfect long profile rare?

A

Land is uplifted, sea levels change and bands of hard and soft rock cross the path of the river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What is the cross profile of a river?
a line that represents what it would like to walk from one side of the valley, across the channel and up the other side
26
Generally what does the cross profile show?
The valley becomes wider and flatter with lower valley sides
27
What are some features of the upper course?
``` Vertical erosion Shallow, narrow channel Hydraulic action, abrasion, and attrition Some traction and saltation at high flow Deposition of large material Large load ```
28
What are the features of the middle course
Some vertical erosion, lateral erosion is more important Hydraulic action less important Suspension main, transportation by saltation and traction is still present Deposition more obvious Load size reduced Wider, deeper channel
29
What is the lower course of a river like?
``` Less erosion, only little lateral Widest, deepest channel All erosion much less important Suspension dominant Deposition of fine materials Large amount of load size now very small ```
30
What forms in areas near the source (upper course) where vertical erosion is dominant?
Waterfalls and gorges
31
What landforms are made downstream (middle course) where lateral erosion is more dominant
Meanders and oxbow lakes
32
What landforms are made nearer the mouth (lower course) where deposition is most significant?
Flood plains and levees
33
Which landforms occur as a result of erosion?
Waterfalls and gorges
34
Which landforms occur due to deposition?
Levees, flood plains
35
Which landforms occur as a result of both erosion and deposition?
Meanders and of bow lakes
36
What is a waterfall?
The sudden and often vertical drop of a river Lang its course
37
What is a gorge?
A narrow, steep sided valley
38
What is a meander?
A bend or curve in the river channel, often becoming sinuous where the loops are exaggerated
39
What is a river course?
The path of a river as it flows downstream
40
What does vertical erosion do?
Deepens the river valley and channel making it V-shaped. This type of erosion is dominant in the upper course
41
What does lateral erosion do?
This widens the river valley and channel. This type of erosion dominates the middle and lower course
42
Why is the current of flow of a river faster on the outside of the bend than on the inside?
The river channel is deeper there so there is less friction to slow the water down
43
What process takes place on the outside bend of a river and what is formed because of this?
Erosion takes place on the outside bend of the river, forming a river cliff
44
Why is the current of the river slower on the inside of the river bend?
The river channel is shallower so there is more friction to slow the river down
45
Where does eroded material get deposited and what is formed as a result of this?
Eroded material is deposited on the inside bend forming slip off slopes
46
Outside bend = .........
Erosion
47
Inside bend = ...........
Deposition
48
In the process of a meander eventually forming an oxbow lake what process causes the outside bends to get closer?
Erosion causes the outside bends to get closer
49
When is a neck formed?
When the erosion of the outside bends of the river get so close together but there is still small bit of land between the bends
50
What happens for the neck of the river to join?
The river breaks through the land usually during a flood and flows along the shortest course
51
What process cuts of the meander and what is formed?
Deposition cuts of the meander and a ox bow lake is formed
52
When do waterfalls form
They form when a river flows over an area of hard rock followed by an area of softer rock
53
What happens first in the process of forming a waterfall?
The softer Rock becomes eroded more quickly than the hard rock creating a step. Overtime the water erodes more and more softer rock. This leaves a step drop called a waterfall
54
What happens to the hard rock as the softer rock is eroded in a waterfall?
The hard rock is eventually undercut by erosion, becoming unsupported and collapses
55
How is a plunge pool created at the bottom of a waterfall?
The collapsed hard rock is swirled around at the foot of the waterfall where they erode the softer rock by abrasion
56
Why will the waterfall retreat upstream and what else is formed because of this?
Over time more undercutting causes more collapses which leaves a steep sided gorge behind
57
What is a flood plain?
The wide valley floor on either side of a river which occasionally gets flooded
58
How do flood plains become higher?
When a river floods onto it the water slows and deposits the eroded material that it has been transporting which builds up the flood plain
59
What makes flood plains wider
Meanders migrate across the flood plain, making it wider
60
What else builds up the flood plain (hint: to do with meanders)
The deposition that happens on the slip off slopes of the meanders
61
What are levees?
Natural embankments (raised bits) along the edges of a river channel
62
How is a levee formed?
During a flood the eroded material is deposited over the whole of the flood plain the heaviest material is deposited closest to the river channel because it gets dropped first when the river slows down. Over time this builds up on the edge of the channel
63
How can you tell a river has a v-shaped valley from a map
Where the contour lines cross the river on the map
64
What evidence is there on a map for a waterfall
The symbol for a cliff (black, blocky lines) and close contour lines are evidence for a waterfall
65
What evispdence could you gather from a. Map that a river is in its upper course?
High land If the river crosses many contour lines quickly it means it is steep Close contour lines The river is a thin blue line
66
What evidence could you gather from a map that a river is in its lower course?
Land is low Only crosses 1 contour line, so is gently sloping The river joins the sea or lake The river is a wide thick blue line The river meanders across a large flat are which is a flood plain The river has large meanders
67
What is a drainage basin?
Area from where a river gets water
68
What is a source
The beggining of a river
69
What is the mouth of a river?
The end of the river
70
What is a tributary
A river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake
71
What is a confluence
The junction of 2 rivers
72
What is a watershed?
An area or ridge of land that separates water flowing to rivers
73
What is the hydrological cycle
The sequence of conditions through which water passes
74
What is condensation
The conversion of a vapour to a liquid
75
What is precipitation
Rain, snow, sleet that falls or condenses on the ground
76
What is interception
Precipitation that does not reach the soil as it is taken up by trees
77
What is surface storage
Water accumulated on the soil surface
78
Overland flow
Movement of water over the land
79
Infiltration
The process by which water on the surface enters the soil
80
Through flow
The flowing of liquid
81
Groundwater flow
Part of the streamflow that has infiltrated the ground
82
Evapo-transpiration
The process where water is transferred from land to the atmosphere
83
Store
A quantity or supply of water
84
Transfer
Movement from one place to another or form to another
85
Water table
The point below which the ground is saturated with water
86
Permeable/impermeable
Allows or does not allow water to pass through
87
Erosion
The gradual destruction or diminution of something
88
Corrosion
Damage caused to metal or stone
89
Corrasion
Process of mechanical erosion
90
V-shaped valley
An elongated lowland between ranges of mountains
91
Interlocking spur
A projecting ridge
92
Alluvium
A deposit of clay
93
River cliff
Outside bank of a water channel
94
Transliteration
Water lost through pores in vegetation

Water On The Land (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions