Rivers Flashcards
What is a River?
A river is a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
What is a source?
A source is any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained
What is a Consequent?
A consequent is a river which follows the general direction of slope
What is a subsequent?
A subsequent is a stream that follows a line of geologic weakness
What are three of the longest rivers?
The Nile river,the amazon river and the yangtze river
Where is the nile river located and what is its length?
The nile river is located in Africa and its length is 6650km
Where is the Amazon river located and what is its length?
The amazon river starts in the Andes mountains in Eastern South America, discharges into the Southern Atlantic Ocean and is 6575km
Where is the Yangtze river located and what is its length?
The yangtze river is located in Asia and is 6300km
What is the long profile of a river?
A long profile is a line representing the river from its
source to its mouth.
What are the three stages of a river?
The upper course, middle course and lower course
What is the main activity of the upper course?
Vertical (downward) erosion
What is the main activity of the middle course of a river?
Lateral (sideways) erosion and transportation
What is the main activity of the lower course?
Deposition
Steep gradient defines which stage of the river?
Upper course
Gentle gradient defines which stage of the river?
Middle course
Very low gradient defines which stage of the river?
Lower course
What are interlocking spurs?
Interlocking spurs are projections of high land that alternate from either side of a V-shaped valley.
What are four characteristics of interlocking spurs?
+Steep gradients
+Convex slopes
+Sometimes covered in woodland
+May have scree slopes
What is a Gorge?
A gorge is a narrow valley with steep, rocky walls located between hills or mountains.
What are Rapids?
Rapids are fast flowing sections of the river where the bed has a relatively steep gradient.
What are the features of the Upper course?
Source
Tributaries
V-shaped valley
Interlocking spurs
Waterfalls
Rapids
Gorges
What are the features of the Middle Course?
River beaches (slip-off slopes)
Meanders
River cliffs
What are the features of the Lower Course?
Floodplains
Oxbow lakes
Levées,
Delta
Estuary
What is a Levee?
A levee is a natural or artificial wall that blocks water from going where it shouldn’t
What is an Estuary?
An estuary is an area where a
freshwater river or stream
meets the ocean.
How is a delta formed?
A delta is formed when the river deposits its material faster than the sea can remove it.
What are four factors affecting the velocity of a river?
+The shape of its channel
+The gradient of the slope
+The volume of water
+Friction
