Unit Five - Weathering and Erosion - Running Water Flashcards
Running water is the most common agent of erosion
Running water is the most common agent of erosion
Definition of Stream
Running water that is confined to a channel
Definition of Tributary
Smaller streams that flow into a larger river
Definition of Floodplain
Nearly level plain that borders the river. (The land close to the river is fertile and often used for farming.
Definition of Levee
Mound of sediment that parallels the course of the river that prevents flooding
What are the three ways of the spectrum that streams carry sediment?
Spectrum
1. It can dissolve minerals into a solution - SMALL
2. Solid particles are suspended in water - MEDIUM
3. Particles that are rolling, bouncing, sliding along the stream bottom - LARGE
Definition of Stream Velocity
The speed of the stream
Definition of Gradient
Slope of the stream
Definition of Discharge
Amount of water that flows past a given point at a given time
Definition of Channel Shape
Shape of the bed where the running water is confined
What are the variations of velocity in a stream?
When a stream channel is straight, the greatest velocity is in the middle
When a stream channel curves, the greatest velocity is on the outside of the curve.
On the outside where the stream velocity is faster, that is where erosion occurs
On the inside where the stream velocity is slower, that is where deposition occurs
Definition of V - Shaped Valley
Downcutting (vertical erosion) of a stream. Young river in mountains
Definition of Meanders
Fancy word for curves in a river
As a stream gets older, it begins to shift its course in a series of bends as a result of erosion and deposition.
