Rivers - Glossary Flashcards
What is a source?
The point at which the river begins.
What is a mouth?
The end of a river and the point at which it flows into the sea or a lake.
What is tributary?
A smaller river that flows into a larger river.
What is a confluence?
The point at which two rivers or streams meet.
What is a river basin?
The area around a river which drains into it.
What is a watershed?
A large area of land that has many water systems.
What is a channel?
This is the outline of the river, the shape in which it flows.
What is a floodplain?
A flat area of land around a river that is prone to flooding.
What are sediments and silts?
Tiny specks of sand found suspended in water and transported before deposition.
What is a delta?
A large, shallow body of water formed when mass deposition results in sediment build up.
What is a load?
These are the objects which a river is carrying. Could be large rocks or or tiny sediment.
What is a V-shaped valley?
A natural feature formed by a river as it erodes downwards and sideways.
What is a meander?
A bend in a river.
What is an oxbow lake?
Formed when a meander cuts itself off which leaves a crescent shaped scar on land
What is volume?
The amount of water carried in a river.
What is velocity?
The speed at which the water is flowing.
What is a river bed?
The bottom of the river.
What is a river bank?
The sides of the river.
What is erosion?
A natural processes by which water eats and wears away at land.
What is transportation?
The carrying of material that has been eroded.
What is deposition?
The dropping off of material that has been transported.
