River Details

Question 1

Roles of a river/stream

Answer 1

-Erosion
-Transport
-Deposition

Question 2

Main processes of erosion

Answer 2

-Hydraulic action
-Corrasion/Abrasion
-Attrition
-Solution/Corrosion

Question 3

Types of load

Answer 3

-Solution load
-Suspension load
-Saltation load
-Traction load

Question 4

Main types of erosion

Answer 4

-Vertical erosion
-Lateral erosion

Question 5

Agents of erosion

Answer 5

-Wind
-Water
-Ice
-Gravity

Question 6

Formula for discharge

Answer 6

Cross-sectional area × velocity

Question 7

Discharge is measured in…

Answer 7

cumecs(cubic metres per second)

Question 8

Features of rivers in an upland valley

Answer 8

-River flows quickly over steep ground
-Main process is vertical erosion
-Low capacity but high competence

Question 9

Features of rivers in a lowland valley

Answer 9

-River flows more slowly over flatter ground
-Large capacity but low competence
-Main process is lateral erosion
-Deposition is the main process in times of flooding

Question 10

Factors which influence the shape of a river valley

Answer 10

-Rate of vertical erosion
-Rate of lateral erosion
-Geology of the valley
-Climate of the valley
-Time

Question 11

Describe the creation of waterfalls over horizontal hard rocks

Answer 11

-Water wears away the softer rock downstream faster
-Harder rock overhangs softer rock, forming a waterfall
-Overhang breaks off and falls into plunge pool
-Waterfall ‘retreats’ downstream, forming a gorge

Question 12

Describe the creation of waterfalls over vertical hard rocks

Answer 12

-Water erodes soft downstream rock in front of the vertical hard rocks
-Waterfall is created

Question 13

Impacts of flooding

Answer 13

-Loss of housing
-Lower house prices but higher insurance costs
-Loss/diversion of transport routes
-Loss of social, environmental and economic amenities
-Stress, injuries and death

Question 14

Opportunities from rivers

Answer 14

-Water for domestic use
-Water for industrial use
-Water for irrigation
-Water for transport
-Water for generating electricity
-Water for leisure/tourism

Question 15

Opportunities from river-made valleys

Answer 15

-Flat flood plain for building
-Fertile soils
-Flat, straight transport routes for roads/railways

Question 16

Hard engineering techniques(examples)

Answer 16

-Dams
-Barriers/flood walls
-Enbankments/levées
-Dredging/straightening channels

Question 17

Soft engineering techniques(examples)

Answer 17

-Afforestation
-Controlling where water overflows to(ie. sacrificing less valued land for more valued land)
-Controlling the location of buildings near the river

Question 18

Procedures to protect people/land from floods

Answer 18

-A store of sand/sandbags(for emergency use)
-A system of sirens and warnings/Evacuation procedures
-Temporary moveable metal barriers