Section 3 Surface Water

Question 1

Velocity

Answer 1

The distance the water in a stream or river travels in a given time

Question 2

Discharge

Answer 2

The amount or volume of water that passes a certain point in a given amount of time

Question 3

Gradient

Answer 3

The steepness of the slope of a stream or river

Question 4

Weathering

Answer 4

The disintegration and decomposition of rock at or near Earth’s surface

Question 5

Disintegration

Answer 5

(Physical weathering): break into smaller pieces without changing composition. Ex: Frost wedging

Question 6

Decomposition

Answer 6

(Chemical weathering): Change composition. Ex: Limestone dissolves

Question 7

Erosion

Answer 7

The process by which material (Peddles, sand, silt, clay etc) is removed and carried away

Question 8

Deposition

Answer 8

The process by which water loses energy and drops the sediment it is carrying

Question 9

Stream Deposition

Answer 9

• Rock materials and sediments that are transported downstream are eventually deposited
• Deposition can occur if a river’s velocity or discharge decrease
• Velocity can decrease if the channel widens or obstruction is met, for example a bend in the river
• Discharge can decrease when people divert water fro irrigation or city water supplies

Question 10

Load

Answer 10

eroded rock and soil materials that are transported downstream by a river

Question 11

Dissolved Load

Answer 11

The part of a stream’s load that is carried in solution (includes salts)

Question 12

Suspended Load

Answer 12

Tiny particles carried in the flow of the water (clay, silt, sand)

Question 13

Bed Load

Answer 13

Larger particles carried by rolling, bouncing or dragging along the stream bed (peddles, cobbles, boulders)

Question 14

Competence

Answer 14

Is a measure that describes the maximum size of the particles a stream can carry

Question 15

Capacity

Answer 15

Is a measure of the total amount of sediment a stream can carry

Question 16

Stream Channel

Answer 16

The course the water in a stream follows

Question 17

Base Level

Answer 17

The lowest point a stream can erode its channel

Question 18

Stages of a stream

Answer 18

• youthful
• mature
• old age

Question 19

youthful

Answer 19

• Steep Gradient
• V-shaped valley

Question 20

Mature

Answer 20

• less steep gradient
• stream begins to meander

Question 21

Old age

Answer 21

• shallow gradient
• wide flood pain
• stream meanders

Question 22

V-shaped Valley

Answer 22

A valley formed by flowing water, or a river valley is usually V-shaped

Question 23

Meander

Answer 23

A loop-like bend in the course of a stream

Question 24

Oxbow Lake

Answer 24

A curved body of water formed deposits that separate a meander from its river

Question 25

Point Bar

Answer 25

A low, crescent-shaped deposit of sand and gravel developed on the inner bank of a meander where the water velocity is slow

Question 26

Cutbank

Answer 26

A sleep slope caused by erosion of the outer bank of a meander

Question 27

Delta

Answer 27

A fan-shaped deposit that forms when a river flows into a quiet or large body of water, such as a lake, and ocean, or and inland sea