river processes

Question 1

watershed

Answer 1

an area of high land forming the edge of a river basin

Question 2

source

Answer 2

where a river begins

Question 3

mouth

Answer 3

where the river meets the sea

Question 4

tributary

Answer 4

a small river/stream joins a large river

Question 5

confluence

Answer 5

the point where two rivers meet

Question 6

channel

Answer 6

where the river flows

Question 7

long profile

Answer 7

shows how the river changes over the course from the source to the mouth

Question 8

upper course

Answer 8

where the river starts, usually an upland area. the river contains a lot of rock particles because it hasn’t been broken down by erosion

Question 9

lower course

Answer 9

the final course of a river, land is flatter. the river carries fine sediment as rock particles have been broken down by erosion

Question 10

cross profile

Answer 10

a view of a valley from one side to another

Question 11

vertical erosion

Answer 11

land is eroded in a downward direction. a high river will erode vertically because gravity pulls the water down

Question 12

lateral erosion

Answer 12

the wearing away of a landscape when a river erodes sideways

Question 13

erosion

Answer 13

the process that wears away river beds and banks and breaks ups rocks that are carried in the river

Question 14

type of erosion: hydraulic action

Answer 14

the sheer power of water as it smashes against river banks. air becomes trapped in the cracks in the rock of the river bank and bed, and causes the rock to break apart

Question 15

type of erosion: abrasion

Answer 15

when pebbles are picked up by the flowing water and smash against the river bank and bed, wearing it away

Question 16

type of erosion: attrition

Answer 16

when rocks that the river is carrying knock against each other. they break apart to become smaller and more rounded

Question 17

type of erosion: solution

Answer 17

when the water dissolves certain types of rock, eg limestone

Question 18

transportation

Answer 18

the river picks up sediment and carries it downstream

Question 19

type of transportation: traction

Answer 19

large, heavy pebbles are rolled along the river bed. this is most common near the source of a river, as here the load is larger

Question 20

type of transportation: saltation

Answer 20

pebbles are bounced along the river bed, most commonly near the source.

Question 21

type of transportation: suspension

Answer 21

lighter sediment is suspended (carried) within the water, most commonly near the mouth of the river.

Question 22

type of transportation: solution

Answer 22

the transport of dissolved chemicals. this varies along the river depending on the presence of soluble rocks.

Question 23

deposition

Answer 23

when a river loses energy it drops material it carries

Question 24

factors leading to disposition

Answer 24

• shallow water
• volume of water decreases
• at the end of the river’s journey, at the river’s mouth