Rivers Flashcards
Aspect
The direction a slope faces
disintergration
mechanical weathering of rocks resulting in smaller fragments of the same type
In situ
on the spot, without any lateral movement
exfoliation
the ‘peeling’ of rocks on their outer edges as a result of repeated thermal expansion and contraction
Pools
the deep parts of a river located on the outer bend of a meander
Riffles
The ridges- often formed of gravel- found in the straight part of a river between two meanders
cavitation
the explosion of air in joints and cracks as a result of air at a high pressure
hydraulic radius
the cross sectional are of a river divided by the wetted perimeter
wetted perimetre
the total length of the bed and base of a river channel in contact with the water in a river
sediment yield
the amount of material carried by water
entrainment
picking up particles from the ground/bed of river
unconsolidated rock
loose, broken material. easily eroded
consolidated rock
solid rocks/sediment that can be bonded together by sedimentary cement
alluvium
fine sediments of silt and clay transported in suspension
flocculation
the process in which clay and silt particles combine when fresh water mixes with salt water. heavier particles sink more rapidly
