Geography key terms 2 Flashcards
Abrasion
Erosion caused by friction which occurs when a river carries sand, gravel or pebbles and uses
them to wear away the landscape.
Attrition
A type of erosion where rocks smash against each other making them smaller and more
rounded.
Corrosion
The wearing away of the landscape by chemical processes such as solution.
Deposition
The laying down of material in the landscape. Deposition occurs when the force that was
carrying the sediment is reduced.
Drainage Basin
The area a river collects its water from. This is also called the river’s catchment area.
Floodplain
The flat area beside a river channel that is covered in water during a flood event.
Gorge
A steep sided, narrow valley. Gorges are often found below a waterfall.
Gulley
Narrow, V-shaped channels cut by running water on steep slopes.
Hydraulic Action
Erosion caused when water and air are forced into gaps in rock or soil.
Impermeable
Soil or rock which does not allow water to pass through it, such as clay.
Interlocking Spurs
A feature of V-shaped valleys where the river meanders from side to side so that the hillsides
interlock rather like the teeth of a zip.
Lateral Erosion
The process by which a river can cut sideways into its own river bank.
Load
The sediment carried by a river.
Meander
A sweeping curve or bend in the river’s course.
Oxbow Lake
The loop of an old meander that is no longer connected to the river channel by flowing
water.
