Rivers

Question 1

Abrasion

Answer 1

Sediment in the water scraping or wearing away the river bed and banks.

Question 2

Alluvium

Answer 2

All sediment, sand and pebbles in a river.

Question 3

Attrition

Answer 3

The process of sediment bouncing off one another in the river. They become smoother, smaller and rounder.

Question 4

Aquifer

Answer 4

An aquifer is a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater. Groundwater seeps through the soil from precipitation.

Question 5

Confluence

Answer 5

The point where two streams join together.

Question 6

Course

Answer 6

The entire length of a river.

Question 7

Cross profile

Answer 7

Show you the inside of the rivers channel or valley, at certain points in the river’s course.

Question 8

Bedrock

Answer 8

The hard, solid rock beneath the surface materials such as soil and gravel.

Question 9

Deposition

Answer 9

The process of dropping sediment along the river.

Question 10

Discharge

Answer 10

The amount of water in the river at any given time.

Question 11

Drainage Basin

Answer 11

An area of land drained by one river and all its tributaries. Also shows how water moves through the system in the water cycle.

Question 12

Estruary

Answer 12

A place where a river meets the sea.

Question 13

Evaporation

Answer 13

The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapour.

Question 14

Flood plain

Answer 14

Area of open flat land either side of a river in the mid to lower course.

Question 15

Gorge

Answer 15

When a waterfall retreats it leaves behind steep cliffs / valley sides known as a gorge.

Question 16

Gradient

Answer 16

The elevation or increase of land height.

Question 17

Groundwater

Answer 17

Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

Question 18

Hydraulic action

Answer 18

The process of water being forced into small gaps and air pockets along a river bed and banks meaning it breaks and chips away.

Question 19

Hydrological cycle (water cycle )

Answer 19

Water moving from the land and ocean surface to the atmosphere and back in the form of precipitation.

Question 20

Hydrograph

Answer 20

Graphs that show how a drainage basin responds to a period of rainfall. How much/little water is in the channel.

Question 21

Impermeable

Answer 21

Not allowing fluid to pass through.

Question 22

Interception

Answer 22

Trees and plants catch / block water from reaching the ground / river.

Question 23

Interlocking spurs

Answer 23

Bands of hard rock that jut outwards alternatively causing the river to weave around the projections.

Question 24

Lag time

Answer 24

The amount of time between each peak precipitation and peak discharge on a hydrograph.

Question 25

Lateral erosion

Answer 25

Erosion on the sides of river banks.

Question 26

Levee

Answer 26

Natural raised banks at the side of the river.

Question 27

Load/bedload

Answer 27

The amount of material carried in / at the bottom of the river.

Question 28

Long profile

Answer 28

Shows changes in the height of the course of a river from its source to its mouth. The slope becomes more gentle towards the mouth of the river.

Question 29

Mouth

Answer 29

The point where the river meets the sea.

Question 30

Mudflats

Answer 30

Also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers.

Question 31

Percolation

Answer 31

The movement of water through the soil.

Question 32

Permeable

Answer 32

Allows water to pass through.

Question 33

Plunge pool

Answer 33

A deep area in a stream bed at the base of a waterfall. It is created by the erosional forces of cascading water on the rocks at the base where the water impacts.

Question 34

Porous rock

Answer 34

Porous rock contains empty space in which fluids, such as compressed air, can be stored.

Question 35

Reservoir

Answer 35

A large natural or artificial lake which forms behind a dam used as a source of water supply.

Question 36

Riffles and pools

Answer 36

Pool and riffle, deep and shallow portions of an undulating stream bed. This moment means the stream begins to meander.

Question 37

River cliff

Answer 37

The lateral erosion on the outside bend causes undercutting of the bank to form a river cliff.

Question 38

Saltation

Answer 38

The process of material being bounced along the river bed as it is too heavy to be carried in suspension.

Question 39

Slip off slope (River beach)

Answer 39

A slip off slope is a depositional landform that occurs on the inside bank of a meandering river.

Question 40

Solution

Answer 40

Minerals are dissolved in the water and carried along in solution.

Question 41

Source

Answer 41

Where the river starts its journey and is usually found in the hills or mountains.

Question 42

Surface run off

Answer 42

Also known as overland flow. Process of water pouring off a surface or trickling down a hill into a river.

Question 43

Suspension

Answer 43

Fine light material is carried along in the water.

Question 44

Thalweg

Answer 44

An imaginary line drawn to join the deepest points along a river so marks the fastest flow in the river.

Question 45

Traction

Answer 45

Heavier rocks rolled along the river bed.

Question 46

Transpiration

Answer 46

Evaporation directly from plants and trees.

Question 47

Tributary

Answer 47

A small stream which joins the main river channel.

Question 48

Velocity

Answer 48

The speed of the water in the river.

Question 49

Vertical erosion

Answer 49

The process of wearing away the river bed downwards.

Question 50

V-shaped Valley

Answer 50

As the river erodes vertically down over it leaves behind valley sides that are shaped like the letter V.

Question 51

Watershed

Answer 51

A river basin or drainage basin is an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. The edge of the drainage basin is known as the watershed.