Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Physical Geography > R - Definitions > Flashcards

R - Definitions Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards World Geography flashcards
1
Q

Abrasion

A

The bed/banks are eroded by rocks/material carried by the river which scrape against, and wear away the channel.

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

Antecedent Rainfall

A

Previous rainfall

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

Attrition

A

Reduction in size of fragments/particles within a river due to erosion, and as fragments hit each other/the bed and banks, and wear down becoming small and smooth

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

Braiding

A

If the river has a high sediment load, and low energy, the sediment is deposited, blocking the rivers route, this caused the river to continually change route.

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

Baseflow

A

Water that reaches the channel largely through slow through flow, and from permeable rock below the water table

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

Channel flow

A

The water that eventually flows out of the drainage basin

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

Competance

A

The largest size particle a river can carry

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

Condensation

A

The process by which water vapour is converted into water

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

Corrosion/Solution

A

The minerals in the rock are dissolved by the water and carried away in solution, particularly carbonates

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

Critical erosion velocity

A

The velocity needed to pick up (erode) particles of different sizes. In general the larger the particle, the higher the velocity needed to pick it up

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

Delta

A

Areas of sediment deposited at the mouth of the river when it enters a slow-moving body water (eg the sea/a lake)

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

Discharge

A

The volume of water flowing in a river per second (measured in cubic meters per second)

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

Drainage basin

A

The land area or catchment area drained by a single river and its tributaries.

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

Eustatic Rejuvination

A

Where the sea level rises or falls causing a GLOBAL change

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

Evaportation

A

The process by which liquid water is transformed into water vapoure

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

Evapotranspiration

A

The loss of warer from a drainage basin into the atmosphere from leaves of plants

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

Flocculation

A

When clay and silt particles stick together

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

Flood

A

A temporary excess of water which spills over onto land

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

Floodplain

A

Flat areas of land either side of the river channel, made from deposited silts and clays

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Gradient

A

The slope of the land

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Graded profile

A

Long profile of a river where erosion and deposition are in equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Groundwater flow

A

The slowest transfer of water in the drainage basin, through the underlying permeable rock strata

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Groundwater storage

A

The storage of water underground in permeable rock strata

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Helicoidal flow

A

The corkscrew flow inside a meander, responsible for moving material from the outside of one bend to the inside of the next

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Hydrological cycle

A

The continuous movement of water between the land, sea and air

26
Q

Hydraulic action

A

The sheer force of the moving water forces air into cracks and drags water over sediment, lifting it.
-most effective during times of high flow

27
Q

Hydraulic radius

A

The ratio of cross sectional area of the channel and the length of its wetter perimeter

28
Q

Impermeable

A

Not permitting the passage of fluid through the pores, interstices etc

29
Q

Infiltration

A

The downward movement of water into soil from the surface

30
Q

Interception

A

Prevention of precipitation from reaching the Earths surface by plants and trees

31
Q

Interception storage

A

The total volume of water held on the surface of vegetation

32
Q

Interlocking spurs

A

Outcrops of land which the river in the upper course must wind around as it hasn’t got the energy to erode through them. Usually accompanied by V Shaped valleys

33
Q

Isostatic change/rejuvination

A

Changes in sea level resulting from the rise and fall of land masses

34
Q

Lag time

A

The delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge

35
Q

Lateral erosion

A

Erosion of width

36
Q

Levées

A

Naturally occuring raised embankments formed when a river overflows its banks and material is deposited along the banks

37
Q

Long Valley Profile

A

The profile of a river from source to mouth

38
Q

Meander

A

Bends causing sinuosity within the river - typically found in the middle course

39
Q

Meander scar

A

Formed when an oxbow lake dries up

40
Q

Oxbow Lake

A

Horseshoe shaped lakes formed when a river erodes through the meander bend forming a new straight channel

41
Q

Overland flow

A

The movement of water over the surface of the land, usually when the ground is saturated or frozen or when precipitation is too intense for infiltration to occur

42
Q

Percolation

A

The gravity of water within soil

43
Q

Pools

A

Areas of deeper water with a more gentle flow, caused by difference in river energy

44
Q

Pothole

A

Holes within the riverbed carved into rock. Turbulent, high velocity water loaded with pebbles ‘drills’ into the rock. Pebbles become trapped in the rock

45
Q

Percipitation

A

Water in any form that falls from the atmosphere to the surface of the Earth.

46
Q

Rapids

A

If there is a sudden change in gradient, the river becomes more turbulent and has more erosive power

47
Q

Recurrence interval

A

The time period between floods of a particular level

48
Q

Rejuvination

A

When there is a fall in sea level relative to the land, or a rise in land relative to the sea, this gives the river more potential energy

49
Q

Relief

A

Shape of the land

50
Q

Riffles

A

Areas of shallower water with fast flow, caused by difference in river energy

51
Q

Sinuosity

A

The ‘curviness’ of the river

52
Q

Soil moisture

A

When precipitation is greater than evapotranspirtaion, any empty pores in the soil will be filled with water

53
Q

Soil storage

A

The total volume of water help within the soil

54
Q

Surface storage

A

Includes water in puddles, ponds and lakes

55
Q

Stem flow

A

The water that runs down the stems and branches of plants and trees during and after rain to reach the ground

56
Q

Thalweg

A

The line of greatest velocity or fastest flow with the river

57
Q

Surface Run off/Overground flow

A

The down slope flow of water over the surface

58
Q

Throughflow

A

Water moving slowly downhill through the soil

59
Q

Water table

A

The surface of the saturated layer of soil or rock

60
Q

Transpiration

A

The process by which water is lost into the atmosphere from a plant through stomata

61
Q

Watershed

A

The boundary of a drainage basin/the margin between 2 watersheds

62
Q

Wetted perimeter

A

Length of bed and banks that is in contact with the water

Physical Geography (27 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions