Landscapes of the UK rivers (River Tees case study)

Question 1

What are 3 specific types of landscape that are found in the UK today?

Answer 1

Lowland, upland, glaciated upland

Question 2

What are the physical characteristics of a lowland landscape?

Answer 2

• An area close to the sea
• Lies, in general, below 200m above sea level.
• Landscape is often flat and rolling.

Question 3

What are the physical characteristics of an upland landscape?

Answer 3

• An area of elevated land that contains hills mountains rising considerably above the surrounding land.
• Often well above 600m above sea

Question 4

What are the physical characteristics of a glaciated upland landscape?

Answer 4

• An upland area that was once covered in glaciers.
• Whilst the glaciers no longer remain, you can see their action in dramatically eroded peaks and ridges.

Question 5

What separates the upland and lowland areas of England?

Answer 5

The Tees-Exe line

Question 6

What type of rock is found in upland areas?

Answer 6

Hard rock (generally igneous)

Question 7

What type of rock is found in lowland areas?

Answer 7

Soft rock (generally sedimentary and metamorphic)

Question 8

what is a ‘long profile’?

Answer 8

A line that shows the change in the gradient of the river course from the source to the mouth.

Question 9

What is a ‘cross profile’?

Answer 9

A cross section of the river - this shows a ‘slice’ of the river valley and channel

Question 10

What is a V-shaped valley?

Answer 10

A valley with steep sides and a narrow bottom that has been formed by erosion + weathering

Question 11

What is a tributary?

Answer 11

A smaller river or stream flowing into a larger river

Question 12

What is a confluence?

Answer 12

The point where two rivers meet

Question 13

Define ‘load’

Answer 13

The material carried by a river

Question 14

What is ‘sediment’?

Answer 14

Small particles of material such as sand and clay that is carried by a river

Question 15

What are the characteristics of the upper course of a river?

Answer 15

• Steep gradient
• Narrow V-shaped valley
• Narrow/shallow river
• Large angular sediment load
• Mostly erosion taking place

Question 16

What are the characteristics of the middle course of a river?

Answer 16

• Shallower gradient
• Asymmetrical valley cross section
• Deeper river
• Smaller/rounded load
• Balance between erosion and transportation taking place

Question 17

What are the characteristics of the lower course of a river?

Answer 17

• Very low gradient
• U-shaped valley
• Wide/deep river
• Small suspended load
• Mostly deposition taking place

Question 18

Define ‘erosion’?

Answer 18

The wearing away of rock by the natural processes of rivers, ice, wind and sea

Question 19

Name the 4 processes of river erosion

Answer 19

Abrasion
Attrition
Hydraulic Action
Solution

Question 20

Define ‘hydraulic action’

Answer 20

Fast flowing water pushes air into cracks and the force of this causes the banks to break up over time

Question 21

Define ‘abrasion’

Answer 21

Sand and pebbles are dragged along the river bed, wearing it away

Question 22

Define ‘attrition’

Answer 22

Rocks and stones wear each other away as they knock together

Question 23

Define ‘solution’ (erosion)

Answer 23

Rocks such as limestone are dissolved in acid rainwater

Question 24

Define ‘transportation’?

Answer 24

The movement of eroded material by natural processes such as wind, rivers and sea

Question 25

Name the 4 processes of river transportation

Answer 25

Traction
Saltation
Suspension
Solution

Question 26

Define ‘traction’

Answer 26

Big boulders and stones are rolled and dragged along the river bed

Question 27

Define ‘saltation’

Answer 27

Stones and pebbles bounce along the river bed

Question 28

Define ‘suspension’

Answer 28

Smaller particles and stones (e.g. sand and silt) are carried along in the rivers flow.

Question 29

Define ‘solution’

Answer 29

Some material is dissolved into the river water and transported this way

Question 30

What does ‘deposition’ mean?

Answer 30

When a river drops the sediment that it is carrying

Question 31

Why will a river deposit its load?

Answer 31

• Drier weather (less water so less energy)
• River slows in speed (less speed so less energy e.g. inside bend of a river)
• River floods (water flows onto the flood plain, loses energy and deposits sediment)

Question 32

Name the river landforms formed by erosion

Answer 32

Waterfalls
Gorges
Interlocking spurs

Question 33

Name the river landforms formed by erosion and deposition

Answer 33

Meanders
Ox-bow lakes

Question 34

Name landforms created by deposition

Answer 34

Floodplains
Levees