Rivers Flashcards

1
Q

What is a river?

A

Body of water that flows generally into an ocean or lake

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2
Q

What is the water cycle?

A

Continuous movement of water between sand, sea + air

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3
Q

What is precipitation?

A

Any moisture falling to the ground e.g rain, hail, sleet, snow, dew, fog + frost

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4
Q

What is interception?

A

Water prevented from reaching soil e.g trees

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5
Q

What is surface storage?

A

Water contained on surface of land e.g rivers, lakes and seas

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6
Q

What is infiltration?

A

Water soaking into soil from surface

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7
Q

What is percolation?

A

Downward movement of water from soil into deeper stores e.g groundwater

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8
Q

What is groundwater?

A

Water stored within rocks below earth’s surface

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9
Q

What is transpiration?

A

Loss of moisture from vegetation back into atmosphere. (Occurs during photosynthesis)

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10
Q

What is evaporation?

A

Water movement from land/sea into atmosphere by heat of sun

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11
Q

What is the process of evaporation?

A

Water heated by sun + turns into water vapour (evaporates)

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12
Q

What is the process of condensation?

A

As water vapour rises, it cools, forming clouds.

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13
Q

What is the process of precipitation?

A

Water droplets grow in size until they’re heavy enough to fall back to earth’s surface

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14
Q

What is the process of transpiration?

A

Trees + other plants release water vapour from their leaves.

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15
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

Area of land drained by river + its tributaries.

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16
Q

What is the source?

A

Starting point of a river

17
Q

What is the confluence?

A

Point where 2 rivers meet

18
Q

What is the tributary?

A

Stream which flows into larger river

19
Q

What is the mouth?

A

End of a river where it meets the sea, ocean or lake

20
Q

What is a watershed?

A

Boundary between drainage basins, (often ridge of high land).

21
Q

Draw a diagram of a drainage basin

A

See flashcard pg 4

22
Q

What is surface run-off?

A

Water travelling quickly over ground towards rivers.

23
Q

What is throughflow?

A

Sideways movement of water through soil into river

24
Q

Names 3 river processes.

A

Transportation, erosion and deposition.

25
Q

what is erosion?

A

The wearing away of landscape by natural forces

26
Q

name the processes of erosion

A

hydraulic action, corrosion/abrasion, attrition, solution.

27
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

Sheer force of water pounding against beds + banks. Air pushed into cracks + pieces.

28
Q

What is corrasion/abrasion?

A

Particles of rock + sand carried in water (rivers load) which constantly scrape + bang against beds + banks of river, wearing them away like sandpaper.

29
Q

What is attrition?

A

Rocks in water bang against one another, wearing each other away, making them smaller, smoother and rounder.

30
Q

What is solution?

A

Chemical action of river water. Soluble minerals in rocks are dissolved by acids in the water.

31
Q

What is transportation?

A

When river has enough energy to carry sediment along its course.

32
Q

What are the different types of transportation?

A

Traction, saltation, suspension and solution.

33
Q

What is traction?

A

Heavy rocks + boulders are rolled along river-bed. Occurs in flood, when discharge is highest.

34
Q

What is saltation?

A

Small stones + pebbles are ‘bounced’ along river bed.

35
Q

What is suspension?

A

Very small particles of sand/clay are carried in water.

36
Q

What is solution?

A

Material is dissolved in water + carried eg limestone is dissolved by acidic rainwater. (Requires little energy).

37
Q

What is deposition?

A

Occurs when river loses energy. Process where material being transported by a river is deposited.

38
Q

What does hydraulic action do to the outside of the river channel?

A

Deepens it