River processes Flashcards
What is the river bank?
The edge/side of a river.
What is the river bed?
The bottom of a river.
Erosion.
Involves the wearing away of rocks. Rivers erode the river bank and bed.
Transportation.
It is where material is picked up by the river and moved downstream.
Deposition.
It is where the rivers drops its load. This is usually when the river loses energy.
Hydraulic action.
The river bank has a crack and the flow of water forces it in the crack. Air inside the cracks is compressed and expends. This puts pressure and wider the crack which makes the bank unstable.
Attrition.
Two rocks smashes together with force. The rocks break down in to smaller smoother and rounder pieces.
Abrasion.
The rocks get transported down the riverbank. The rocks scrape along the riverbank and bed eroding through sandpaper effect. The rocks erode into smaller rounder peices.
Solution.
The river is slightly acidic due to CO2. Carbonate rocked such as limestone, dissolves completely in water.
Traction.
Large rocks are rolled along the river bed, often at high discharge.
Saltation.
Smaller pebbles and stones bounced of the river bed.
Suspension.
Light material is carried in the water without touching the bank or bed.
