River landscapes Flashcards
Why is the hydrological cycle called a closed system
Because the amount of water always stays the same
Precipitation
Any water that falls on the earth no matter of its state.
Infiltration
The downward movement of water into soil
Surface run off
Water that flows on top of the soil layer
Through flow
The movement of water down slope within the soil layer
Ground water flow
The deeper movement of water through cracks in rocks under soil
Evaporation
The transformation of water droplets into water vapour
Transpiration
The evaporation of water from plants
Respiration
Loss of water from a human
Condensation
Water vapour is converted into water droplets
The long profile
A long profile shows the gradient of a river as it journeys from source to mouth.
The river Severn
The river Severn travels 354km from its source in the Plynlimon hills in the Cambrian mountains to its mouth in the Bristol channel
Watershed
The area of high land forming the edge of a river basin
Source
Where the river begins
Mouth
Where the river meets the sea
Confluence
The point at which two rivers meet
Tributary
A small river or stream that joins a larger river
Channel
This is where the river flows
Drainage basin
This is the area of land drained by a river
Upper course
Vertical erosion- hydraulic action, abrasion and attrition dominant.
Traction and salutation as high flow
Load is large and angular
V shaped valleys
Middle Course
Channel is deeper and wider
Vertical erosion decreasing- lateral erosion increasing
Suspension dominant transportation
Load is smaller and rounder
