River Landscapes and Processes

Question 1

Mouth

Answer 1

Where the river flows into the sea

Question 2

Tributary

Answer 2

A smaller river or stream that joins a large river

Question 3

Confluence

Answer 3

Where two streams or rivers meet

Question 4

Watershed

Answer 4

The boundary of the drainage basin

Question 5

Drainage basin

Answer 5

The area of land that is drained by a river

Question 6

Upper course characteristics

Answer 6

-Shallow and narrow
-Steep
-Slowest
-V shaped valleys, rapids, waterfalls
-High bed load
-Vertical erosion

Question 7

Middle course characteristics

Answer 7

-Deeper, wider
-Flatter
-Faster
-Meanders and floodplains
-Lateral erosion

Question 8

Lower course characteristics

Answer 8

-Widest, deepest
-Flattest
-Fastest
-Lateral erosion
-Deposition

Question 9

Width

Answer 9

The size of the river from each side

Question 10

Discharge

Answer 10

The volume of water flowing in a river

Question 11

Gradient

Answer 11

The steepness of land

Question 12

Chanel roughness

Answer 12

The unevenness of the channel bed and banks

Question 13

Evaporation

Answer 13

The process of changing water to water vapour

Question 14

Transpiration

Answer 14

The release of water through a plant’s leaves

Question 15

Surface run off

Answer 15

The movement of water above land on the surface

Question 16

Infiltration

Answer 16

The process of water soaking into the soil

Question 17

Percolation

Answer 17

The process of water soaking into the rocks

Question 18

Throughflow

Answer 18

The down slope movement of water through the soil

Question 19

Groundwater flow

Answer 19

The movement of water stored underground in rocks and soil

Question 20

Interception

Answer 20

Vegetation catching rainfall on branches and leaves

Question 21

4 Upper course landforms

Answer 21

Interlocking spurs, waterfalls, gorges, v shaped valleys

Question 22

Interlocking spurs def

Answer 22

When the river winds around resistant rocks creating interlocking hills either side

Question 23

V shaped valley def

Answer 23

A valley with steep sides sloping down to a river

Question 24

Waterfall def

Answer 24

A stream of water over hard rock with softer rock that is then eroded

Question 25

Gorge def

Answer 25

Narrow valley with steep sides a waterfall creates when retreating

Question 26

2 Middle course lanforms

Answer 26

Meander, oxbow lake

Question 27

Meander def

Answer 27

A pronounced sinuous curve along a river’s course

Question 28

Ox bow def

Answer 28

A crescent shaped lake isolated from the river by sedimentation

Question 29

3 Lower course landforms

Answer 29

Flood plains, levees, deltas

Question 30

Flood plain def

Answer 30

Area of flat land next to a river

Question 31

Levees def

Answer 31

Low ridges of flood- deposited sediment on either side of the river channel

Question 32

Deltas def

Answer 32

Body of sediment deposited at the mouth when velocity decreases