Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

1
Q

Stages of a river

A

Upper course/youthful stage

Middle course/mature stage

Lower course/old stage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Course

A

Rout a river takes as it flows into the sea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Tributary

A

River which joins a larger one

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Confluence

A

Place where rivers join

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Mouth

A

Place where a river enters a sea or lake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Estuary

A

Part of a river’s course which is tidal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Basin

A

Entire area drained by a river and it’s tributaries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Watershed

A

High ground which separates one river basin from another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Youthful/upper stage

A

River has steep gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Mature/middle stage

A

River has a gentler gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Old/lower stage

A

River has an almost flat gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Youthful stage explanation

A

As river moves through upper/youthful stage, cuts downwards

Gradient is steep, river narrow

Vertical erosion in this highland part helps to creat steep sided v-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, rapids, waterfalls, gorges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Erosion

A

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Hydraulic action

A

Force of moving water breaks off material from banks + bed of river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Abrasion

A

Load of material carried along by river hits banks * bed of river, wearing them away

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Attrition

A

Load is itself worn down smoothed, rounded

17
Q

Solution

A

Some rocks dissolved by acids in water

18
Q

Landforms of youthful stage

A

V-shaped valley
Interlocking spurs
Waterfalls & gorges

19
Q

Transportation in a river

A

Traction/rolling

Bouncing

Suspension

Solution

20
Q

Traction/rolling

A

When large objects (pebbles, stones) are rolled along bed of river

21
Q

Bouncing

A

Smaller objects, eg. small pebles, bounced along bed of river

22
Q

Suspension

A

Lightest objects, eg. slit + clay, carried along suspended in water

23
Q

Solution (transportation)

A

Dissolved material (eg. limestone) is carried in solution

24
Q

Mature river

A

River has a greater volume, now that many tributaries joined it

Flows over gentler gradient (slope)

River has large load of material to transport

Flows slower

25
Q

Landforms of mature river

A

Wider valley

Meander

Flood plains

26
Q

Meander

A

Feature of erosion + deposition

River’s volume increased but slope is gentler in middle course.

River slows down on inside of bend - deposition

River speeds up on outside of bend - erosion

27
Q

Flood plains

A

Area at either side of river is called flood plain

When river floods it deposits fine fertile clay called alluvium

28
Q

Old river

A

River starts to slow down bc gradient is flat

Has large load (sand, rock, etc.) & starts to deposit it

29
Q

Landforms of old river

A

Oxbow lakes

Leeves

Deltas

30
Q

Oxbow lake

A
  1. Formed by erosion + deposition
  2. Begins life as meander
  3. Outer curve - river moves fast + erodes.
  4. Load of river increases
  5. At inner curve - river moves slowly as load is deposited
  6. Dloely, open end of curve closes
  7. River now flows straight through instead of following meander
  8. Sediment is deposited, seals ends and creates oxbow lake
31
Q

Leeves

A

Raised banks of alluvium found along banks of some rivers in old age

When river floods, deposits load

After many periods of flooding, deposits build up to form leeves

32
Q

Deltas

A

Triangular areas of land formed by deposition

When mouth of river becomes clogged become of deposition of load, river splits into smaller channels called distributaries

Deposits build up above sea level, form delta

Examples - river Nile, Missisipi, Amazon

33
Q

Advantages of dams

A

Can be used to hold back water

Used for production of hydroelectric power

Can be used for water based activities

34
Q

Disadvantages of dams

A

Farm land may be flooded

destruction of people’s proprty

People’s homes destroyed, had to be relocated

Large build up of alluvium behind dams

35
Q

Source

A

Where river begins

Geography (25 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions