Rivers Flashcards
What is the confluence in a river?
The point where the tributary joins the river.
What is the estuary in a river?
The part of the mouth that is tidal.
What is the basin?
The area of land drained by a river.
What is the watershed?
The high ground separating one river basin from another.
Explain how the youthful river is like.
The youthful river has a small amount of water but it travels very quickly down the steep mountain slope.
Explain any feature or landform that is formed from erosion. (Words and diagram)
Waterfalls are formed when rivers flow over areas of hard and soft rock. The river erodes the soft rock but cannot erode the hard rock. This creates a step where the water starts to fall over. The falling water erodes deeper into the bed. And the rivers load creates a Plunge Pool when it falls. The water falling into the plunge pool splashes against the wall behind the waterfall. This causes the wall to erode, undercutting the waterfall and creating an overhang.
Explain what river transportation is.
All rivers carry material in them. This material is carried by the river as it flows along. All of this material in the river is called the river’s Load. When the river moves its load we call this River Transportation
How does river transportation occur?
Transportation occurs in 4 ways.
1. Rolling - The large stones are rolled along the river bed.
2. Bouncing - The smaller pebbles are bounced along the river bed.
3. Suspension - Light material like sand and silt are carried along in the water.
4. Solution – Dissolved materials are carried along by the river.
Explain any feature or landform that is formed from deposition. (Words and diagram)
An ox-bow lake is a horseshoe shaped lake found beside a river. Ox-bow lakes are formed when continued erosion and deposition create very pronounced meanders. Eventually the river cuts through the neck of the meander. Deposition then occurs which leaves the ox-bow lake separated from the river.
Explain an advantage and disadvantage of rivers for people.
Advantage : Hydroelectric Power (HEP) - Engineers have to build a dam across a river. They can then control the flow of water in the river. They release the water and use it’s power to turn large turbines. Turning these turbines creates power which is used to generate electricity.
Disadvantage : River Flooding - Rivers can flood causing large areas of agricultural farmland to be destroyed, lost livestock and roads and other infrastructures being severely damaged.
Explain how Hydroelectric Power is generated.
Engineers build a dam across the river. They can then control the flow of water in the river.
They release the water and use it’s power to turn large turbines. Turning these turbines creates power which is used to generate electricity.
What is the source of a river?
The place where a river begins.
What is the course of a river
The route the river takes to the sea
What are the 4 processes of river erosion?
- Hydraulic-action - The physical force of the moving water wears away and breaks off the rock and soil from the banks and bed of the river.
- Abrasion - Small stones carried by the river wear away the banks and bed of the river.
- Attrition - The small stones in the river are worn down and broken up as they hit off each other.
- Solution - Rocks, such as limestone, and soil are dissolved by acids in the water.
Name and explain a very fertile soil deposited by rivers.
When the river retreats it leaves behind a thin layer of alluvium. After man floods a thick layer of alluvium is created. This is very fertile soil.
