Rivers Flashcards
Define tributary
A small river that flows into a bigger river.
Define watershed
The dividing line between two drainage basins
Define abrasion
River scrapes its pebbles along bed and bank, wearing it away.
Define hydraulic action
Sheer power of water dislodge rock particles.
Define corrosion
River water dissolves rocks in bed and bank
Define attrition
Pebbles in river smashed into each other - smaller/rounder
Define transportation
The river can transport material when it has excess energy.
Define traction
The process of large pieces of load rolling along a river bed.
Define suspension
Fine materials (like soil) is light - floats in river - turn the river muddy colored (raining)
Define saltation
The process of load bouncing a long a river bed.
Define solution
Cant’t see. Certain rock types are dissolved in water like chalk or limestone
Define discharge
the amount of water being carried by a river.
Define hydro logical cycle
aka water cycle- the continuous movement of water through the land,oceans and atmosphere.
Define precipitation
Any moisture that falls from the sky e.g. rain or snow.
Define infiltration
When water travels from the surface of the earth into the ground beneath.
Define surface run-off
When water travels across the surface of the earth
Define interception
When an object (building, tree) stops precipitation reaching the ground beneath.
Define transpiration
Liquid water evaporating from vegetation.
Define groundwater flow
The movement of water through saturated ground.
Describe the formation of deltas.
When a river meets the sea its velocity suddenly reduces. This reduction in velocity means that much of the rivers load is deposited at the mouth of the river. If the river deposits quicker than the sea can erode then a delta starts to develop
Define hard engineering
building physical and permanent structures usually out of concrete and/or metal. Hard engineering solutions are usually more expensive, often ugly to look at, but can be very effective at preventing floods.
Define soft engineering
This working with nature to reduce flooding. Soft engineering solutions can be cheaper and less visually intrusive.
Define interlocking spurs
In the upper valley a river is in the mountains. Water takes the easiest path downhill so twists &turns around the high land (spurs) forming interlocking spurs.
