Rivers

Question 1

Source

Answer 1

The beginning of or start of a river

Question 2

What is the course?

Answer 2

The route a river takes to the sea

Question 3

Confluence

Answer 3

The point at which 2 rivers or streams join together

Question 4

What is the mouth?

Answer 4

The point where a river comes to the end, usually when entering the sea

Question 5

What is a drainage basin?

Answer 5

The area of land drained by a river

Question 6

What is a watershed?

Answer 6

The area of high ground which separates 2 drainage basins

Question 7

What is an estuary?

Answer 7

The part of the river mouth that’s tidal

Question 8

What do the different stages reflect

Answer 8

The change in gradient

Question 9

What are the 3 stages of a river?

Answer 9

Youthful stage (upper)
Mature stage (middle)
Old stage (lower)

Question 10

Youthful stage characteristics

Answer 10

Steep
Fast flowing
Creates erosion

Question 11

Mature stage characteristics

Answer 11

Gently sloping
Starts to slow down the flow
Transports rocks

Question 12

Old stage characteristics

Answer 12

Little to no slope
Little to no flow
Deposits rocks in sea

Question 13

4 ways the river erodes

Answer 13

Hydraulic action
Abrasion
Solution
Attrition

Question 14

Hydraulic power

Answer 14

Power of water

Question 15

Abrasion

Answer 15

Using its load (stuff it carries) to break down the -banks -floor of the rivers

Question 16

Solution

Answer 16

Rivers can dissolve some rocks e.g. limestone, chalk

Question 17

Attrition

Answer 17

Rocks collide, causing friction and break down

Question 18

Erosion

Answer 18

The river wears the landscape away

Question 19

Transportation

Answer 19

The river carries the material it has erroded

Question 20

Deposition

Answer 20

The river drops the material it was carrying

Question 21

What are the 4 processes of river transportation?

Answer 21

Rolling
Bouncing
Suspension
Solution

Question 22

What is rolling (river transportation)?

Answer 22

When the larger stones are rolled along the bed of the river, this is known as traction.

Question 23

What is bouncing (river transportation)?

Answer 23

When the smaller pebbles are bounced along the bed of the river, this is known as saltation.

Question 24

What is suspension (river transportation)?

Answer 24

When light materials such as sand and silt float along in the river.

Question 25

What does solution have to do with transportation?

Answer 25

The materials dissolved in the water and are then carried along by the river

Question 26

What are the 4 causes of river deposition?

Answer 26

Reduction in the river’s speed
Increase in load size
Reduction in the river’s volume
When the gradient levels off

Question 27

What does reduction in the river’s speed have to do with river deposition?

Answer 27

This can happen when a river enters a lake or sea, or during a period of dry weather.

Question 28

What does increase in load size have to do with river deposition?

Answer 28

This can happen when a tributary joins a river, or after a period of heavy rainfall. the river then does not have the energy to carry its increased load so it drops it.

Question 29

When does reduction in the river’s volume happen?

Answer 29

This can happen during a period of dry weather

Question 30

When do the gradient levels go off?

Answer 30

This occurs when the rivers reaches flatter land.

Question 31

What is discharge?

Answer 31

The flow of water downwards through a river.

Question 32

Name 5 ways people interact with rivers:

Answer 32

• Transport
• Tourism
• Hydroelectric power (HEP)
• Fishing
• Domestic water supply

Question 33

How do we pollute rivers?

Answer 33

• Farming: When farmers spread slurry on their land, it can seep into rivers, polluting them and killing fish.
• Domestic: waste materials from septic tanks can seep into rivers, polluting them in a similar way.
• Industrial waste: If factories dump waste into rivers it can also cause pollution. Not only fish , but birds and animals that live close to the river may be poisoned.

Question 34

What is HEP?

Answer 34

HEP stations are often built on dams, its’ power of the water is used to generate cheap, clean and renewable energy.

Question 35

How do humans cause flooding in rivers?

Answer 35

We cut down trees that can lead to more surface run-off of rainwater because there are no trees to absorb the water. It also leads to soil erosion because there no longer are trees to hold them in place which can mean the soil will be deposited on river beds. this will cause the river to rise and burst its banks.