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Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

1
Q

Pronounced bends along the middle course of rivers are known as?

A

Meanders

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2
Q

What electric power is created by harnessing the energy of rivers

A

Hydro

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3
Q

Fertile material deposited by rivers on their flood plains is known as?

A

Alluvium

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4
Q

What is the beginning of a river called?

A

Source

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5
Q

What is the route a river takes to the sea?

A

Course

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6
Q

What is the point at which two rivers or streams join together?

A

Confluence

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7
Q

What is a tributary

A

A smaller river that flows into a larger river

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8
Q

What is the point where a river comes to the end called?

A

Mouth

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9
Q

What is a drainage basin

A

The area of land drained by a river

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10
Q

What is a watershed

A

The edge of highland surrounding a drainage basin

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11
Q

What is the part of a river mouth that is tidal

A

Estuary

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12
Q

What are the three stages of a river

A

Upper or Youthful stage

Middle or Mature stage

Lower or Old stage

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13
Q

Describe the Upper stage

A

It’s steep
Fast flowing
Little water
Lots of erosion

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14
Q

Describe the Middle stage

A

River slows down
More water
Still eroding

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15
Q

Describe the lower stage

A

River is very slow
Much more water
Depositing here
Not eroding

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16
Q

What is Erosion

A

The river wears the landscape away

17
Q

What is Transportation

A

The river carries the material that it has eroded

18
Q

What is Deposition

A

The river drops off the material that it was carrying

19
Q

What is hydraulic action

A

The force of the moving water wears away the banks of the river

20
Q

What is Abrasion

A

Small stones carried by the river wear away the banks of the river

21
Q

What is Attrition

A

The small stones in the river are worn down and broken up as they hit off each other

22
Q

What is solution

A

Rocks, suck as limestone, and soil are dissolved by acids in the water

23
Q

What is a V shaped valley

A

A steep sided valley in the shape of a ‘V’, down which the river flows from its source

24
Q

How is a V shaped valley formed

A

The river cuts down into the river bank, making it deeper. This is called Hydraulic action. It creates a deep narrow valley. Mechanical weathering and mass movement also weather the sides of the valley, breaking down rock and soil. The material that falls into the river is carried downstream. e.g River Lee

25
Q

What are interlocking spurs

A

Areas of high ground that jut out at both sides of the v shaped valley

26
Q

How are interlocking spurs formed

A

As the river erodes the landscape in the upper course, it winds and bends around areas of hard rock that it cannot wear down. It still erodes vertically, however this process creates interlocking spurs,l which can be found at the upper course of the river

27
Q

What is a waterfall

A

A waterfall is a vertical drop in the course of the river in its youthful stage

28
Q

What is a meander

A

Meanders are curves or bends in the river as it flows along the course in its mature stage

29
Q

What is an Oxbow lake

A

An oxbow lake is a horseshoe-shaped lake that was formed when a meander was cut off from the river

30
Q

What is a flood plain?

A

A flood plain is a wide, flat area of land on either side of the river in its old stage

31
Q

What is a levee

A

A levee is a built up of alluvium on the banks of a river

32
Q

What is a Delta

A

A delta is a triangular or fan shaped area of land at the mouth of the river where it enters the sea

33
Q

What happens in waterfalls

A

As the water falls the soft rock erodes quicker, undercutting the hard rock,
The rock is left overhanging and because it isn’t supported, it eventually collapses
The fallen rocks crash into the plunge pool, they swirl around and causing more erosion
Overtime this process is repeated and the waterfall moves upstream

34
Q

How is a meander formed

A

Meanders are formed by both deposition and erosion. The rivers hydraulic action erodes and undercuts the riverbank on the outside of the bend, where water flow has most energy due to decreased friction
Over time the horseshoe becomes tighter as the ends get closer together

Geography (13 decks)

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