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GCSE Physical Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the river course

A

The path of the river as it flows downhill

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2
Q

Where is the upper course

A

Closest to the source of the river

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3
Q

Where is the lower course

A

Closest to the mouth of the river

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4
Q

How do rivers form channels and valleys

A
  1. The ERODE the landscape
  2. They transport the material somewhere where it is deposited
  3. The shape depends on whether erosion or deposition has the most impact
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5
Q

Upper course properties

A
  • Steep
  • V-shaped valley, steep sides
  • Narrow, shallow channel
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6
Q

Middle course properties

A
  • Medium
  • Gently sloping sides
  • Wider, deeper channel
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7
Q

Lower course properties

A
  • Gentle
  • Very wide, almost flat valley
  • Very wide, deep channel
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8
Q

Vertical erosion

A
  • This DEEPENS the river valley, making it a V-SHAPED valley
  • Dominant in the UPPER course of the river
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9
Q

Lateral erosion

A
  • This WIDENS the river valley

- Dominant in the MIDDLE and LOWER courses

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10
Q

Name the four process of erosion

A
  • Hydraulic action
  • Abrasion
  • Attrition
  • Solution
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11
Q

Hydraulic action

A

The force of water breaks rock particles away from the river channel

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12
Q

Abrasion

A

Eroded rocks picked up by the river SCRAPE and RUB against the channel, wearing away.
Most erosion happens by abrasion

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13
Q

Attrition

A

Eroded rocks picked up by the river SMASH into each other breaking into smaller fragments.
The edges are rounded off as they rub together

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14
Q

Solution

A

River water DISSOLVES some type of rocks e.g. chalk and limestone

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15
Q

Name the four processes of transportation

A
  • Traction
  • Saltation
  • Suspension
  • Solution
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16
Q

Traction

A

Large particles (like boulders) are PUSHED along the river bed by the water FORCE

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17
Q

Saltation

A

PEBBLE sized particles are BOUNCED along the river bed by the water FORCE

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18
Q

Suspension

A

SOLUBLE materials DISSOLVE in the water and are CARRIED along

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19
Q

Solution

A

River water DISSOLVES some type of rocks e.g. chalk and limestone

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20
Q

When does deposition happen and why

A
  • When a river drops eroded material

- Happens when a river slows down (loses velocity)

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21
Q

Why do rivers slow down and deposit material

A
  • Volume of water falls
  • Amount of eroded material in the water increases
  • Water is shallower e.g. inside of a bend
  • River reaches the mouth
22
Q

What happens when a river is eroding and depositing material

A

Meanders and ox-bow lakes

23
Q

Where are meanders found

A

In the middle and lower courses

24
Q

Formation of a meander

A
  1. The water current flows faster on the outside of the bend, because the river channel is deeper (less friction to slow water down)
  2. More erosion on the outside of the bends, forming river cliffs
  3. Current is slower on the inside bend (channel is slower) More friction -> Slow water down
  4. Eroded material is deposited on the inside of the bend, forming slip-off slopes
25
Q

Formation of an ox-bow lake

A
  1. Water flows in a corkscrew pattern causing lateral erosion. Erosion causes the outside bends to get closer
  2. Water flows fastest on the outside and slowest on the inside bends leading to deposition
  3. Two meanders will erode coming closer together The river breaks through this land, usually during a flood
  4. The river flows the shortest course
  5. Deposition eventually cuts of the meander, forming an ox-bow lake
26
Q

Waterfalls and gorges are formed by what

A

Erosion

27
Q

Formation of a waterfall and a gorges

A
  1. The river flows over the cliff of horizontal bands of soft and hard rock
  2. The soft rock is undercut by Hydraulic action and abrasion. A steep drop is created -> waterfall
  3. Eventually the soft rock erodes so much that the more resistant rock is left unsupported.
  4. This rock will eventually fall, the erode the softer rock by abrasion forming a plunge pool at the base of a cliff
  5. Overtime the cliff will retreat backwards and the process repeats forming a gorge
28
Q

Where are waterfalls and gorges found

A

The upper course of the river

29
Q

How are flood plains and levees formed

A

By deposition

30
Q

Formation of a flood plain

A
  1. The wide valley floor gets flooded
  2. The water slows down on the flood plain and deposits the eroded material that its transporting -> Builds up the flood plain
  3. Meanders migrate (move) across the flood plain making it wider
  4. Deposition that happens on the slip-of slopes of meanders also build up the flood levees
31
Q

Formation of levee’s

A
  1. During a flood, eroded material is deposited over the flood plain
  2. The heaviest material is deposited closest to the river channel (dropped first) when the river slows down
  3. Over time the deposited material builds up creating levee’s along the edges of the channel
32
Q

What is river discharge

A

The volume of water flowing in a river

33
Q

What is river discharge measured in

A

Cumecs

34
Q

What do Hydrographs show

A

How the discharge at a certain point in a river changes over time

35
Q

Peak discharge

A

The highest discharge in the period of time your looking at

36
Q

Lag time

A

The delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge

37
Q

Rising limb

A

The increases in river discharge as rainwater flows into the river

38
Q

Falling limb

A

The decrease in river discharge as the river returns to its normal level

39
Q

Why does lag time happen

A

Most rainfall doesn’t land directly in the river channel

Gets there by surface run off or infiltration

40
Q

Surface run off

A

If the ground is hard already saturated, no more rain can infiltrate so it travels over the lands surface to the sea

41
Q

Infiltration

A

When water soaks into the sea

42
Q

Ground water flow

A

Infiltrated water flowing through solid rock, to the sea

43
Q

Through flow

A

Water travelling through the soil

44
Q

Interception

A

Trees catching rainfall before it reaches the ground

45
Q

What is river discharge affected by

A
  • Amount/ type of rainfall
  • Temperature
  • Previous weather
  • Rock type
  • Land use
  • Relief (how the height of the land changes)
46
Q

Amount/type of rainfall as a factor

A

Lots of rain and short, heavy periods of rainfall means more surface run off. Lag time DECREASES and so discharge INCREASES

47
Q

Temperature as a factor

A

Hot, dry conditions and cold, freezing both result in HARD ground -> Increases run off -> Lag time is DECREASED, so discharge INCREASES

48
Q

Previous weather as a factor

A

After lots of rain, soil becomes saturated. More rainwater wont be able to infiltrate in to soil -> Runoff will INCREASE -> Lag time is DECREASED, so discharge INCREASES

49
Q

Rock type as a factor

A 
Water infiltrates through pore spaces in PERMEABLE rock and flows along cracks in previous rocks
 -> Not much runoff 
-> Lag times INCREASES
-> Discharge INCREASES
Water cant infiltrate into IMPERMEABLE rock
-> A lot of runoff
-> Lag time DECREASES
-> Discharge INCREASES
50
Q

Land use as a factor

A

Urban areas have drainage systems and are covered with impermeable materials

  • > INCREASES runoff
  • > Lag time DECREASES
  • > Discharge INCREASES
51
Q

Relief as a factor

A

LOTS of runoff occurs on STEEP SLOPES

  • > Lag time DECREASES
  • > Discharge INCREASES

GCSE Physical Geography (17 decks)

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