4. UK Evolving Physical Landscape: River Landforms

Question 1

What are found in the Upper Course of a river?

Question 2

What are Waterfalls?

Question 3

What are Gorges?

Question 4

What are Interlocking Spurs?

Answer 4

Upper course - erosion vertically downward - steep V valleys - river not powerful enough to erode laterally - have to wind around high hillsides - hillsides interlock - like a ZIP i.e. INTERLOCKING SPURS

Question 5

What are formed by Erosion and Deposition?

Question 6

What are Meanders?

Answer 6

Large bends in river - middle and lower courses - water current faster on outside of bend as channel deeper and less friction - erosion causing river cliffs

• water current slower on inside - shallower - deposition of material - Slip off slopes

Create Meanders

Question 7

How are Ox Bow lakes formed?

Answer 7

As meanders get larger they form Ox Bow lakes

Erosion - outside bends get closer - only small with of land is call a NECK - river breaks through during flood - deposition cuts off the meander - OX BOW lake

Question 8

What are Flood Plains?

Answer 8

Flat areas of land that flood

Wide valley floor floods - material deposited make plain higher

Meanders move across the flood plain making it wider - move downstream flattening out valley floor

Deposition that happens on slip off slopes also builds up on flood plain

Question 9

What are Levees?

Answer 9

Natural Embankments along edges of river channel

Flood - deposition over flood plain - heaviest material deposited closest to channel - over time builds up creating LEVEES

Question 10

What are Deltas?

Answer 10

Low lying areas where a river meets the sea or a lake

River slows down when meets sea or lake - deposits material

If sea doesnt wash away material builds up and blocks channel which splits up into lots of smaller rivers called DISTRIBUTARIES - Builds up so much to form DELTAS

E.g. Nile Delta in Egypt and Ebro Delta in Spain

Question 11

What do Contour Lines tell us about a river?

Answer 11

Tell us the direction a river flows

Orange lines on maps - show height of land - and steepness by how close together

Flow from high contour lines to low

Question 12

How do Maps contain evidence of River Landforms?

Answer 12

Upper Course - Land is high, contours close together, waterfalls over cliffs (black blocky lines) - narrow river (thin blue line)

Lower Course - land is low - doesn’t cross contour lines i.e. flat - meanders - flood plain - wide (thick blue line) - large meanders and ox bow lakes may form

Question 13

What are the 3 physical factors that influence River Landscapes and Sediment Load?

Question 14

How does the Climate impact River Landscape and Sediment Load?

Answer 14

Climate - wetter, more water in river channel - higher erosion - adds material to river load - shapes landscape - V shaped - vertical erosion - Also freeze / thaw weathering

Question 15

How does Geology impact River Landscape and Sediment Load?

Answer 15

Geology - hard rock slower erosion - lower sediment load. Softer rock - more erosion - more sediment. More resistant rock are steeper. Waterfalls can form hard then soft rock

Question 16

Who do Slope Processes impact River Landscape and Sediment Load?

Answer 16

Slope processes - vertical erosion - steeper - increases movement of material down slopes. Mass movement adds to river load. Soil creep when soil moves down slope due to gravity - caused by expansion and contraction of soil - water adds weight and makes expand - moves down slope