River Environments Flashcards

1
Q

Examples of stores (3)

A
  • atmosphere; as water vapour or clouds
  • the land; rivers, lakes, reservoirs
  • sea; liquid and ice
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2
Q

Examples of flows (9)

A
  • evaporation
  • transpiration
  • evapotranspiration
  • condensation
  • precipitation
  • overland flow
  • infiltration and percolation
  • throughflow
  • groundwater flow
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3
Q

transpiration

A

plants take up liquid water from the soil and ‘breathe’ it into the atmosphere as water vapour

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4
Q

evapotranspiration (2)

A
  • the loss of moisture from the ground by direct evaporation from water bodies and the soil
  • also as transpiration from plants
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5
Q

overland flow

A

when precipitation hits the ground and due to gravity eventually enters a stream, river or lake

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6
Q

throughflow (2)

A
  • this takes place between the ground surface and the top of the groundwater store
  • as a result of gravity water slowly moves through the soil until it reaches a stream or river
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7
Q

important differnces between hydrological cycle and drainage basin? (2)

A
  • drainage basin is an open system, while the hydrological cycle is a closed system
  • the amount of water in the drainage basin varies over time, while in the hydrological cycle the amount of water stays the same
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8
Q

drainage basin (3)

A
  • also known as the river’s catchment area
  • has external inputs and outputs
  • amount of water in basin varies over time
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9
Q

inputs of drainage basin (3)

A
  • energy from sun
  • precipitation formed from moisture picked up outside of basin
  • water from tributary drainage basins
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10
Q

outputs of drainage basin (2)

A
  • river’s discharge
  • the water in its basin from which evaporation and transpiration take place, this water eventually falls as precipitation in another drainage basin
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11
Q

discharge

A

the quantity of water flowing in a river channel at a particular location and time

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12
Q

watershed

A

boundary between neighboring drainage basins

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13
Q

estuary

A

mouth of river where it enters sea

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14
Q

river regime

A

the seasonal variations in the discharge of a river

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15
Q

storm hydrograph

A

records the changing discharge of a river after a rainstorm

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16
Q

lag time (3)

A
  • delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge (time from when rain falls until it reaches river)
  • the shorter the lag time the quicker the water reaches the river channel
  • short lag time causes the river discharge to rise steeply
17
Q

base flow

A

normal discharge of the river

18
Q

storm flow

A

additional discharge of the river as result of rainstorm

19
Q

Factors affecting river regime (why river regime may change) (6)

A
  • amount and intensity of rain
  • temperature can affect form of precipitation
  • steep slopes will cause rapid surface runoff, so water will reach river more quickly
  • the rock type (impermeable/permeable)
  • vegetation and land use
  • human intervention (dams and reservoirs)
20
Q

weathering

A

the breakdown and decay of rock by natural processes, without the involvement of any moving force

21
Q

mass movement (2)

A
  • movement of weathered material down a slope due to the force of gravity
  • the two main types are slumping and soil creep
22
Q

erosion

A

the wearing away and removal of material by a moving force, such as running water

23
Q

transport

A

the movement of a river’s load

24
Q

deposition

A

the dropping of material being carried by a moving force

25
physical weathering
breaks down rocks into smaller and smaller pieces, by changes in temperature, freezing of rainfall and thawing in rock cracks
26
chemical weathering
causes rocks to decay and disintegrate by slightly acidic rain seeping into porous rocks
27
biological weathering
the roots of plants growing into cracks in the rocks and gradually splitting them apart
28
slumping (3)
- form of mass movement - occurs when bottom of valey side slope is cut away by the river at its base - makes slope unstable so material slumps towards river
29
soil creep (3)
- form of mass movement - weathered material moves down slope due to gravity - collects at bottom of valey side and is eroded by river
30
hydraulic action (3)
- form of erosion - water hits river bed and banks with such force that material is carried away - usually happens when river's discharge is high
31
abrasion (2)
- form of erosion - material carried by river rubbs against sides and floor of channel, this widens and steepens channel
32
corrosion/solution (2)
- form or erosion - minerals in the rocks that form the sides of the river channel are dissolved by the water that flows past
33
load (2)
- material that has been washed or fallen into river - also materials eroded from sides of channel