RIVER INVESTIGATION

Question 1

List the equipment that is needed to measure the width of a river channel.

Answer 1

The equipment that is needed is a peg and line, a 40 meter tape measure and a recording sheet.

Question 2

List the equipment that is needed to measure the depth of a river channel.

Answer 2

The equipment that is needed is a peg and line, a 40 meter tape measure, a meter ruler and a recording sheet.

Question 3

Describe the 3 steps that you would need to complete when measuring the width of the river channel.

Answer 3

Place a peg on either side of the river channel at the point the water meets the edge of the banks. Measure the width of the river channel by stretching the tape measure between the two pegs at right-angles to the bank. Record the width in meters and write result down on the recording sheet.

Question 4

Describe the 5 steps that you would complete when measuring the average depth of the river channel.

Answer 4

Place a peg on either side of the river channel where the comes into contact with it banks. Measure the width of the river channel by stretching the tape measure between the two pegs at right-angles to the bank. Divide the width of the river by four so the river’s depth can measured at the following intervals across its width - 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4. Then record the depth of the water at each point by placing a meter ruler with its thin edge facing upstream vertically into the water until it touches the bed of the river. Record the result I’m centimeters and write it down on the recording sheet.

Question 5

List the equipment that is needed to measure the velocity of a river channel.

Answer 5

The equipment that is needed is a stopwatch, 40 meter tape measure, two ranging poles, a cork and a recording sheet.

Question 6

What formula is used to calculate velocity.

Answer 6

Distance divided by time or to be more precise distance in meters divide by seconds.

Question 7

Describe the 4 steps that you would complete when measuring the velocity of a river channel.

Answer 7

Measure a 10 meter downstream stretch of the river channel. Place ranging poles at the top and bottom of this stretch of river. Drop the cork into the middle of the river and record in seconds the time that it takes to travel the 10 meter stretch of river. Repeat this process three times and then calculate the average speed it took to cover the 10 meters stretch of river. This will give you a result in meters per second.

Question 8

List the equipment that is needed to measure the downstream gradient of a river channel.

Answer 8

The equipment that is needed is two ranging poles, a 40 meter tape measure, a gun clinometer and a recording sheet.

Question 9

Describe the 4 steps that you would complete to measure the downstream gradient of the river channel.

Answer 9

Measure a 10 meter downstream stretch of the river channel. Place ranging poles at the top and bottom of this stretch of river. Place the sight of the gun clinometer at the top of the downstream ranging pole and measure the angle to the top of the upstream ranging pole. Write down the observed angle in degrees between the two ranging poles. When recording the measurement on your recording sheet make sure that you have indicated whether it is a positive or negative angle.

Question 10

List the equipment that is needed to measure the size of river bedload.

Answer 10

The equipment that is needed is a peg and line, 40 meter tape measure, a ruler, a calliper and a recording sheet.

Question 11

Describe the 4 steps that you would complete when measuring the bedload size.

Answer 11

Place a tape measure across the width of the river channel. Then measure the size of one piece of bedload at each of the 9 sampling points which are evenly spaced across the width of the river. The size is worked out in millimetres by measuring the B axis of the bedload with a calliper. The size of all nine pieces of bedload are written down on the recording sheet.

Question 12

List the equipment that is needed to measure the shape of river bedload.

Answer 12

The equipment that is needed is a peg and line, 40 meter tape measure, a Powers’ sacle of roundness card and a recording sheet.

Question 13

Describe the 4 steps that you would complete when measuring the shape of bedload.

Answer 13

Place a tape measure across the width of the river channel. Then measure shape of one piece of bedload at each of the 9 sampling points which are evenly spaced across the width of the river. The shape is worked out by comparing the piece of bed load with the Powers’ scale index card and giving the piece of bedload a score from very angular to well rounded.

Question 14

Complete the following hypothesis ‘The width will _________ and the depth will become _________ as distance from the source increases’.

Answer 14

The missing words are ‘increase’ and ‘deeper’.

Question 15

Complete the following hypothesis ‘The bed load will become more __________ and _________ in size as distance from the source increases’.

Answer 15

The missing words are ‘rounded’ and ‘smaller’.

Question 16

What type of graph would be used to present the increase in downstream river velocity.

Answer 16

A flow line graph would be used to show the increase in downstream river velocity.

Question 17

Name the type of sampling been used if the depth of the river is measure at 3 points across the width of the river that are spaced equally apart.

Answer 17

The type of sampling would be systematic.

Question 18

What 2 other methods of data collection could have been used to measure the velocity of the river apart from using a cork and stopwatch.

Answer 18

The 2 other methods could have been to use a hydroprop or electronic flow meter.

Question 19

The aim of a student project was to look at how and why river velocity changed downstream. They only data they collected was velocity, size of bedload and width of the river. What 3 other pieces of data could have been collected to improve this investigation.

Answer 19

The extra data could have been river depth, shape of bed load and downstream gradient.

Question 20

List 6 hazards that could effect the safety of a student when they are completing a river investigation.

Answer 20

The 6 hazards would be a deep and fast flowing river, very cold or hot weather, rats urine and the remoteness of the study area.

Question 21

List 7 risks that could result from the following hazards deep and fast flowing rivers, very cold or hot weather, veils disease and the remoteness of the study area.

Answer 21

The risks would could be drowning, broken bones or sprains, hypothermia or heat stroke, veils disease or getting lost.

Question 22

How could you reduce the risk of hypothermia.

Answer 22

It could be reduced by looking at a weather report the day before your investigation, If a very cold temperature was predicted you would know to wear layered clothing that was warm, along with a hat and gloves, a warm drink and high energy snacks. Finally, inform your teacher of the location of the study area and the time by which your group should have returned from investigation.