River Processes Flashcards
What is transpiration?
The transfer and change of water from plants into water vapour in the air
What is condensation?
When water vapour in the air changes back into a liquid. It forms small droplets which are visible as clouds. (Gas to liquid)
What is precipitation?
The transfer of water from air to the land. Water can Fall can fall onto the earth as rain, hail, sleet or snow.
What is surface runoff?
When the rain water runs along the surface of the earth. This happens if the ground is hard, or very wet.
What is infiltration?
Water moving downwards from the surface of the ground into the soil below.
What is groundwater flow?
When the rainfall soaks right down into the ground before flowing along slowly into the river.
What is evaporation?
The transfer and change of water into water vapour in the air. (Liquid changing to a gas)
The water cycle is also known as…
The Hydrological Cycle
Name the 5 labels of a drainage basin
A watershed, the source, the mouth, a confluence and a tributary
Name the 4 ways rivers erode
Abrasion - sand and stones in the river scrape the bed and banks and wear them away
Attrition - rocks and stones knock together and wear each other away
Hydraulic action - fast flowing water is forced into the cracks in the bank
Solution - water also dissolves soluble minerals from the bed and banks
Name the 4 ways rivers transport
Solution - dissolved material is carried along as a solution
Suspension - small light particles of rock and soil are carried along as suspension
Saltation - sand grains and small stones bounce along the river bed
Traction - large stones and rocks get rolled along during periods of flood
What way of transport needs the most amount of energy
Traction
What way of transport needs the least amount of energy
Solution
What is erosion?
The wearing away of materials by natural forces such as wind or water
Features found in the upper stage are?
V-shaped valley, interlocking spurs and waterfalls
