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Geography > River Long and Cross Profiles > Flashcards

River Long and Cross Profiles Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a long profile?

A

A long profile shows the gradient of a river as it journeys from source to mouth.

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2
Q

What is a graded long profile?

A

When a river tries to achieve a smooth curve in order to reach its base level at the sea.

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3
Q

What is erosion like in the upper course?

A

Mostly vertical erosion by hydraulic action.

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4
Q

What is erosion like in the middle course?

A

Less vertical erosion, more lateral erosion. Much attrition and abrasion, some solution.

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5
Q

What is erosion like in the lower course?

A

Very little erosion, no vertical only lateral.

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6
Q

What is transportation like in the upper course?

A

Mostly traction. Large boulders moved.

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7
Q

What is transportation like in the middle course?

A

Mostly suspension, increased traction. Load becomes smaller and less angular.

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8
Q

What is transportation like in the lower course?

A

Mostly suspension and solution. Very small particles of load, great quantity of load.

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9
Q

What is deposition like in the upper course?

A

Large boulders are deposited.

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10
Q

What is deposition like the in the middle course?

A

More deposition, especially on the inside bend of meanders.

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11
Q

What is deposition like the in the lower course?

A

Deposition is now the main fluvial process. Fine material now deposited.

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12
Q

How does the long profile change in the upper course?

A
  • Set in a landscape of high relief
  • Starts at its source
  • Single channel is formed which flows down a steep gradient
  • Steep descent = more potential energy
  • May be waterfalls and rapids
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13
Q

How does the long profile change in the middle course?

A
  • In an area of hilly relief
  • Discharge has increased as the channel is deeper and volume of water has increased
  • Less vertical erosion but more lateral erosion at meanders
  • Gradient of long profile becomes concave as vertical erosion decreases
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14
Q

How does the long profile change in the lower course?

A
  • Erosion only at meanders and is lateral

- Lack of vertical erosion means that gradient is almost flat

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15
Q

What is discharge?

A

The volume of water passing through a given point on a river.

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16
Q

What is discharge measured in?

A

Cubic metres per second (cumecs)

17
Q

What is the equation for discharge?

A

Discharge = velocity x cross sectional area

18
Q

What happens to discharge as it goes downstream and why?

A

It increases as tributaries join in and add their volume of water.

19
Q

What is the upper course?

A

The part of the river that starts at the source, usually on high ground.

20
Q

What is the middle course?

A

The middle part of the river.

21
Q

What is the lower course?

A

The part of the river towards the mouth , usually on low-lying ground.

22
Q

What is gradient?

A

The measure if how steeply a river loses height.

23
Q

What are the key features/landforms of the upper course?

A
  • Waterfalls
  • Interlocking spurs
  • Gorges
  • Rapids
24
Q

What are the key features/landforms of the middle course?

A
  • meanders

- ox bow lakes

25
Q

What are the key features/landforms of the lower course?

A
  • Levées
  • Flood plains
  • Deltas
  • Estuaries
26
Q

What is the long profile like in the upper course?

A

Starts of at a steep gradient, but starts to slowly decrease.

27
Q

What is the long profile like in the middle course?

A

Still fairly steep, but decreasing gradient.

28
Q

What is the long profile like in the lower course?

A

Very low gradient, reaches base level at the mouth.

29
Q

What is the cross profile like in the upper course?

A

River is fairly narrow and quite shallow. There is low discharge.

30
Q

What is the cross profile like in the middle course?

A

River is slightly wider and deeper, with a slightly higher discharge.

31
Q

What is the cross profile like in the lower course?

A

River is very wide and deep with a high discharge.

32
Q

What is the Bradshaw Model?

A

The Bradshaw model shows how the characteristics of a river change from its upper to lower course (triangles).

33
Q

What happens to the rivers width from U to L?

A

Gets Wider

34
Q

What happens to the depth from U to L?

A

Gets Deeper

35
Q

What happens to velocity from U to L?

A

Increases

36
Q

What happens to discharge from U to L?

A

Increases

37
Q

What happens to the gradient from U to L?

A

Decreases.

38
Q

What happens to the sediment size from U to L?

A

Decreases.

Geography (13 decks)

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