Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GCSE Geography > 🏞️ Physical: Rivers > Flashcards

🏞️ Physical: Rivers Flashcards

1
Q

What is the drainage basin of a river?

A

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is a confluence of a river?

A

The point where a tributary joins a larger river.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the river watershed?

A

The edge of a river basin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define erosion.

A

The wearing away of material.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why do rivers tend to erode vertically in the upper course?

A

Discharge is smaller and the river cuts down due to gravity and the larger size of sediment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why do rivers tend to erode laterally in the middle course?

A

Material carried by the river erode the banks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is attrition?

A

When rocks bang together to smoothen and break down.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

When the force of the water flows into the cracks in the bank and causes them to break.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is abrasion?

A

When rocks scrape the bed and banks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the erosional process of solution?

A

When soluble materials as rocks get dissolved into the river.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the river’s load?

A

The materials that are carried by the river.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the river’s discharge?

A

The amount of water in a river at any given time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is traction?

A

When large rocks and boulders are rolled along the river bed by the force of the water at times of high discharge.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is saltation?

A

When small rocks and sand particles are bounced along the river bed by the flow of water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is suspension?

A

When fine clay and sand particles are carried along within the water even at low discharges.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the transported process of solution?

A

When some minerals dissolve in water and get carried along by the flow of water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a floodplain?

A

An area of low-lying land next to a river which is prone to flooding.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

When does deposition normally occur.

A

When the velocity of the river slows.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the characteristics of the river channel and valley in the upper course of the River Severn?

A

Steep V-shaped valley sides, channel is very shallow and valley is small.

20
Q

What are the characteristics of the river channel and valley in the middle course of the River Severn?

A

Valley is wider + deeper, flattening out by lateral erosion.

21
Q

What are the characteristics of the river channel and valley in the lower course of the River Severn?

A

Very flat and wide.

22
Q

What are the landforms in the upper course of the River Severn?

A

Interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges.

23
Q

What are the landforms in the middle course of the River Severn?

A

Meanders + Ox-bow lakes

24
Q

What are the landforms in the lower course of the River Severn?

A

Flood plains, meanders, levees, estuaries and mud flats

25
Q

What processes and size of materials are in the upper course of the River Severn?

A

Large rocks. Lots of transportation and vertical erosion.

26
Q

What processes and size of materials are in the middle course of the River Severn?

A

Lateral and vertical erosion all types of transportation and deposition. Rocks are smaller.

27
Q

What processes and size of materials are in the lower course of the River Severn?

A

All of the processes, pretty much no vertical erosion. Sediment is tiny and deposition is very high.

28
Q

What are erosional river landforms?

A

Interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges

29
Q

How are interlocking spurs formed?

A
  • The start of the river has lots of energy so it erodes vertically due to gravity and creates a steep V-shaped valley
  • Overt time the valley sides become less steep due to freeze-thaw weathering
  • The river then winds its way around the hard rock and creates interlocking spurs
30
Q

How are waterfalls formed?

A
  • Water runs over alternating bands of hard and soft rock and erosion will start to break down the rocks
  • Hydraulic actions wears away the soft rock because it is less resistant than the hard rock
  • Over time the soft rock starts to undercut the hard rock
  • The hard rock is left unsupported and its weight collapses into the river
  • Rocks that have fallen either get transported down the river or scrape away and abrade the base of the river bed, a plunge pool is then created with the waterfall
31
Q

How are gorges formed?

A
  • After a waterfall is formed it retreats backwards and leaves behind steep sided vertical walls called a gorge
32
Q

What fluvial processes does a meander use to be formed?

A

Erosion and deposition

33
Q

How are meanders formed?

A
  • Water swings to the outside of the river where there is less friction
  • As the river erodes the bank, the river will take the shortest route and take on a straight course
  • On the inside of the bend, the flow is slower so it deposits sediment
34
Q

How are ox-bow lakes formed?

A
  • The neck of a meander grows narrower and when it breaks through the river flow will take the shortest path, straight
  • The look becomes sealed off altogether as a result of deposition. This is known as an ox-bow lake
35
Q

What is a levee?

A

A levee is a raised bank formed on the banks of a river in the lower course.

36
Q

How is a levee formed?

A
  • During a flood water passes over the banks and increased friction occurs resulting in slower flow
  • The heaviest material is deposited first at the closest point to the river as the water doesn’t have enough energy to carry it
  • The levee gradually gets higher after successive floods
37
Q

How are floodplains formed?

A
  • When a river floods, it deposits the heaviest sediment first and lightest last
  • This build up of sand, silt and clays leads to the formation of a flat piece of land either side of a river
  • Every time the river floods, deposition build up the floodplain
38
Q

How can you work out the discharge of a river?

A

Area x Velocity = Discharge

39
Q

What are some physical factors that affect flood risk?

A
  • Relief
  • Rainfall
  • Soil Saturation
  • Basin Size
  • Rock Type
40
Q

What are some human factors that affect flood risk?

A
  • Urbanisation
  • Deforestation
  • Agriculture
41
Q

What are some examples of hard engineering strategies?

A
  • Dams and Reservoirs
  • Dredging
  • Embankments
  • Concrete Channel
  • Channel Straightening
42
Q

What are some examples of soft engineering strategies?

A
  • Land-use Zoning
  • Afforestation
  • Wetland Creation
  • River Bank Conservation
  • Flood Warnings + Preparation
43
Q

How do dams and reservoirs work?

A

A dam is a large concrete barrier built across a river to hold back its flow. This causes the valley behind the dam to flood and creates a lake called a reservoir. This controls the amount of river downstream with the controlled gates.

44
Q

What are the benefits of dams and reservoirs?

A
  • Can create energy, HEP
  • Can attract tourists
  • Water is released in a controlled way
45
Q

What are the disadvantages of dams and reservoirs?

A
  • Super expensive
  • Sediment can get trapped
  • Can lead to rotting and methane production

GCSE Geography (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions