Geography Paper 1 - Rivers

Question 1

What does Fluvial mean?

Answer 1

It means rivers

Question 2

What are Fluvial processes?

Answer 2

1. Erosion - they pick up or erode weathered material
2. Transport - they carry or transport the material somewhere else
3. Deposition - they drop the material / deposit it

Question 3

What are the types of river erosion?

Answer 3

• Hydraulic Action
• Abrasion
• Attrition
• Solution

Question 4

What is Hydraulic Action?

Answer 4

The force of the river against the banks can cause air to be trapped in cracks and crevices. The pressure weakens the banks and gradually wears it away.

Question 5

What is Abrasion?

Answer 5

Rocks carried along by the river wear wear down the river bed and banks.

Question 6

What is Attrition?

Answer 6

Rocks being carried by the river smash together and break into smaller, smoother and rounder particles.

Question 7

What is solution?

Answer 7

Soluble particles are dissolved into the river.

Question 8

What are the shapes Fluvial processes create called?

Answer 8

Landforms

Question 9

What are two ways Fluvial processes create landforms?

Answer 9

Create some landforms by eroding material and others by depositing material.

Question 10

What are the two directions rivers erode?

Answer 10

• Lateral Erosion
• Vertical Erosion

Question 11

What is the effect of the valley in vertical erosion and where does it happen?

Answer 11

• Deepens the valley
• At the start of the river - Higher Course.

Question 12

What are types of transportation of materials?

Answer 12

• Suspension
• Traction
• Solution
• Saltation

Question 13

What is suspension?

Answer 13

Fine light material is carried along in the water

Question 14

What is solution?

Answer 14

Minerals are dissolved in water and carried along in solution

Question 15

What is Saltation?

Answer 15

Small pebbles and stones are bounced along the river bed

Question 16

What is traction?

Answer 16

Large boulders and rocks are rolled along the river bed

Question 17

Define the load of the river

Answer 17

The load of the river is the material carrier by the river.

Question 18

What is deposition?

Answer 18

This is when a river drops the eroded material (load) it has been carrying.

Question 19

When does deposition occur?

Answer 19

When a river slows down or loses velocity

Question 20

What are ways river loses velocity?

Answer 20

• River bursts it’s banks during a flood
• The amount of water (or volume of water) in the river decreases
• The water becomes shallower (e.g on the inside of a bend of a river)
• The river meets the sea at its mouth

Question 21

What are characteristics of the upper course of a river?

Answer 21

• V-Shaped valley
• Narrow and shallow channel
• Steep Valley sides
• Steep Gradient
• Lateral Erosion (straight river)

Question 22

What are characteristics of the middle course of a river?

Answer 22

• More gentle sloping valley sides than upper course but more than lower course.

Question 23

What are characteristics of the lower course of a river?

Answer 23

• Wider and deeper channel
• Gentle gradient
• Wide and flat valley
• Lateral Erosion (bends in the river)

Question 24

What are rivers that connect to a bigger one leading to a sea/ocean called?

Answer 24

Tributary