Rivers Flashcards
abrasion
when sand and pebbles are dragged along the river bed which wears it away.
attrition
when rocks and stones wear each other away as they knock together.
hydraulic weathering
when fast flowing water is forced into cracks which breaks up the bank over time.
solution
when alkaline rocks are dissolved by acidic rainwater.
saltation
when smaller stones or pebbles are picked up and then dropped again resulting in a skipping motion.
traction
when large stones are dragged along the river bed.
suspension
when tiny particles of sediment are carried in suspension in the river’s current.
discharge
the volume of water flowing in a river.
velocity
the speed of water flowing in a river.
meander
a bend in a rivers course.
ox-bow lake
a lake formed when a loop in a river is cut off by floods.
