Physical fieldwork

Question 1

Enquiry question:

Answer 1

To investigate how discharge changes downstream

Question 2

Hypothesis:

Answer 2

The discharge will increase going downstream

Question 3

Studysite:

Answer 3

River Brett

Question 4

Locations on the river Brett:

Answer 4

Hitcham pump, Bilderston, Semer Bridge, Hadleigh Weir

Question 5

Description of River Brett:

Answer 5

small river, flows through countryside of Suffolk in E Anglia

Question 6

Geology of River Brett:

Answer 6

clay, chalk, sand, gravel

Question 7

Upper course location:

Answer 7

Hitcham pump

Question 8

Middle course locations:

Answer 8

Bildeston (meander + river cliff)
Semer Bridge

Question 9

Lower course location:

Answer 9

Hadleigh Weir (weir and channelisation)

Question 10

How was width measured:

Answer 10

tape measure from one wet edge to another

Question 11

How was depth measured:

Answer 11

width/6 and then at each interval a metre stick is used to measure the depth

Question 12

Velocity:

Answer 12

at each interval, use a hydroprop to measure velocity, by timing the period it takes for the the spinning to stop

Question 13

Limitations width:

Answer 13

hard to judge wet edge as water is constantly moving

Question 14

Limitations depth:

Answer 14

parallax error and water splashing on the ruler

Question 15

Limitations velocity:

Answer 15

human error when timing due to reaction time

Question 16

Improvements width:

Answer 16

aim to keep the tape measure taught and above the water

Question 17

Improvements depth:

Answer 17

crouch down and take the reading at eye level, and keep the metre stick perpendicular to flow

Question 18

Example of risk and a strategy to minimise risk

Answer 18

-hypothermia so wear layers
-low hanging branches so proceed with caution

Question 19

Example of quantitive technique:

Answer 19

annotating a photo of the site

Question 20

Reason for quantitive technique:

Answer 20

to identify how geographical processes interact with the natural environment

Question 21

Limitations of qualitative technique:

Answer 21

subjective

Question 22

Improvement qualititive technique:

Answer 22

have an example for comparison and a reference

Question 23

What were the three methods of data representation?

Answer 23

-cross sectional profile
-scatter graphs
-GIS located proportional symbols

Question 24

positive CSA

Answer 24

represents width and depth of the river visually

Question 25

negative CSA

Answer 25

does not represent all the data

Question 26

What do scatter graphs represent?

Answer 26

the velocity

Question 27

positive of scatter grap:

Answer 27

visual so easy to spot trends

Question 28

negative of scatter graph:

Answer 28

does not represent the width, depth or discharge (only one dependent variable)

Question 29

Positive of GIS located proportional symbols:

Answer 29

can see where your data comes from irl + easy to manipulate

Question 30

Negative of GIS located proportional symbols:

Answer 30

complicated and need a key to understand + basic training

Question 31

increase in width

Answer 31

+ 5.22m

Question 32

increase in depth

Answer 32

+ 0.105

Question 33

trend in velocity:

Answer 33

increased from site one to two but then decreased for site three then increased again

Question 34

trend in discharge + net increase:

Answer 34

increase by 0.046 cumecs
but did decrease from site two to three

Question 35

conclusion:

Answer 35

the discharge increases because as the river bed become smoother and the river larger due to abrasion there is less friction which leads to an increase in velocity and an increase in discharge

Question 36

Is it a strong conclusion?

Answer 36

-no as inconsistencies in trends

Question 37

causes of inconsistencies in trends:

Answer 37

Bildeston has a river cliff and a meander and Hadleigh weir has a weir and channelisation which could impact results

Question 38

improvements:

Answer 38

-more sites
-use stratified sampling to reduce bias completely, however may cause the locations to cluster
-use temporal sampling to reduce external factors impacts on results