Rivers features and processes Flashcards
Transportation is..... What is it? What are the four types? What order do the go in from biggest load to smallest? Can you describe them?
When rivers pick up and carry load as they flow downstream
Traction- Large rocks boulders roll along the river
Saltation- Smaller stones bounce along the river
Suspension- Very small grains of sand or silt flow along the river bed
Solution- Some very small material is dissolved which causes a slight change of colour in the river as its carried along
What is deposition?
Why does it happen?
How does it link to transportation?
What does it create?
When a river drops or deposits some of its load because it has less energy.
It links as a river will drop its heaviest load first that uses the process traction and solution last as it requires the least energy.
This creates river banks or Levèes.
How are interlocking spurs formed?
The river has less energy to erode so when it meets hard pieces of rock that are difficult to erode it winds around them. A series of hills form on either side of the river called spurs as the river flows around them they become interlocked. So they’re probably found in the upper course of a river valley because rivers have less energy here.
How are V shaped valleys formed?
Landslides send materials into the river to be carried away as the hills lopes on valley sides become unstable with chemical weathering. Vertical erosion occurs and overtime interlocking V shapes are made.
What is needed for a waterfall to form?
What are the features of a waterfall?
An area of hard Rock on top of soft Rock and a step or drop in the land.
Overhang, gorge and plunge pool
