GCSE Geography - Rivers and Coasts

Question 1

What does Upland mean?

Answer 1

A hilly or mountainous area, often above sea level.

Question 2

What does Lowland mean?

Answer 2

A rather flat area, but not always far above sea level.

Question 3

What does Source mean?

Answer 3

The start/origin of water.

Question 4

What does Tributary mean?

Answer 4

The smaller river that joins the bigger river.

Question 5

What does Watershed mean?

Answer 5

The edge of the basin.

Question 6

What does Confluence mean?

Answer 6

The point where a smaller river joins a bigger river.

Question 7

What does Mouth/Delta mean?

Answer 7

The point where the river meets the sea.

Question 8

What does Channel mean?

Answer 8

The part of the river that the water flows in.

Question 9

What does Turbulence mean?

Answer 9

How calm or violent a river’s water is.

Question 10

What does Valley mean?

Answer 10

The land on either side of the river.

Question 11

What does Discharge mean?

Answer 11

How much water is in the river.

Question 12

What does Helicoidal Flow mean?

Answer 12

When the current of a river pulls down under instead of forwards.

Question 13

What does Vertical Erosion mean?

Answer 13

Downwards erosion instead of upwards.

Question 14

What does Lateral Erosion mean?

Answer 14

Outwards erosion instead of downwards.

Question 15

What does Cross Profile mean?

Answer 15

The side to side cross section of a river channel and/or valley.

Question 16

What does Deposition mean?

Answer 16

When sediment carried by the river is dropped. This is because it no longer has enough energy to transport the sediment.

Question 17

What does Traction (Transportation) mean?

Answer 17

When large particles and sediment are rolled across the river bed.

Question 18

What does Solution (Transportation) mean?

Answer 18

When dissolved load gets carried through the water.

Question 19

What does Suspension (Transportation) mean?

Answer 19

This is when small sediment is held in the river.

Question 20

What does Saltation (Transportation) mean?

Answer 20

The bouncing of particles and sediment which are too heavy to be suspended.

Question 21

What does Hydraulic Action (Erosion) mean?

Answer 21

When the force of the water hits the river bed and banks. This is more common the higher the velocity.

Question 22

What does Abrasion (Erosion) mean?

Answer 22

When the load carried by the river repeatedly hits the bed or banks, dislodging particles into the flow of the river.

Question 23

What does Attrition (Erosion) mean?

Answer 23

When stones carried by the river knock against each other, gradually making the stones smaller and rounded.

Question 24

What does Solution (Erosion) mean?

Answer 24

When the river flows over limestone or chalk, the rock is slowly dissolved. This is because it’s soluble.