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Geography: Unit 1 > Water > Flashcards

Water Flashcards

0
Q

What is erosion?

A

The wearing away of rocks, stones and soil by rivers and waves

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1
Q

What is condensation?

A

Water vapour being turned into a liquid

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2
Q

Define deposition

A

To lay down or drop eroded material

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3
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

The sheer force or water hitting the banks of a river

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4
Q

What is traction and when does it happen?

A

Heavy rocks or boulders being rolled along the river bed, usually during times of flood when the current is strongest

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5
Q

Define transportation

A

The movement of material along a river by water

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6
Q

What is confluence?

A

Where two or more tributaries or rivers flow together

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7
Q

What is evaporation?

A

When liquid is turned into water vapour

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8
Q

Define percolation

A

Water is transported down through the soil

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9
Q

What is ground water flow?

A

Water stored in soil and transported through the rocks

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10
Q

Name the types of precipitation

A

Rain, snow, sleet and hail

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11
Q

What is transpiration?

A

Water is lost from a plant through its leaves

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12
Q

What is a tributary?

A

A stream or river which flows into a main stream and does not flow into the sea

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13
Q

What is corrosion?

A

When rocks forming the banks and bed of a river are dissolved by acids in the water

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14
Q

What is abrasion?

A

Fine material rubs against the river bank and the bank is worn away, by a sandpapering type of action

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15
Q

What is attrition?

A

Material is moved along the river bed and collides with other material, breaking it into smaller pieces

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16
Q

What is a large area of deposited material called?

A

A delta

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17
Q

Why does a river deposit materials?

A

Its speed or volume has decreased

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18
Q

What is suspension?

A

Very small particles of clay or sand are ‘suspended’ in the water

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19
Q

What is the material that a river carries called?

A

The load

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20
Q

What is solution?

A

Material dissolved in the water that is invisible and doesn’t colour the water

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21
Q

What is saltation?

A

Where small stones or pebbles are ‘bounced’ along the river bed

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22
Q

Describe the formation of a waterfall

A

The river erodes the weaker rock more quickly than the more resistant rock. The more resistant rock is undercut by hydraulic action

Overtime the resistant rock is undercut more and more making it unstable because it isn’t supported any longer by the weaker rock. This creates and overhang

Increased river velocity means more erosion takes place and a plunge pool develops. This is made deeper by abrasion

Eventually the more resistant rock collapses and the process starts again. As the large fragments of resistant rock are transported downstream they become smaller and more rounded due to attrition and abrasion

As the process is repeated the waterfall retreats further and further back. This creates a very steep sided gorge that will lengthen over time

23
Q

What is a meander?

A

A bend in the river caused by the processes of erosion and deposition

24
What occurs at the inside bend of a meander?
Deposition
25
What occurs at the outside of a meander?
Erosion
26
Why is there more friction on the inside bend of a meander?
There is less water and the water is slow flowing
27
What causes the bend of a meander to erode more?
Abrasion
28
What also forms on the outside bend of a meander?
A river cliff
29
What is deposition in a meander caused by?
Slow flowing water dumping suspended material
30
What causes an oxbow lake?
Erosion of the narrow neck of a meander
31
Describe the formation of an oxbow lake
Erosion by hydraulic action is occurring on the outside of the meanders Material is deposited and the old meander is cut off. An oxbow lake is formed The river breaks through and forms a new channel. The oxbow lake evaporates and a meander scar is left
32
How many tourists visited Niagara Falls in 2007?
20 million
33
How has Niagara Falls affected the locals in negative ways?
Pollution, high prices due to tourism, annoyed by tourist's questions, money spent on tourist area but not on roads, schools and buildings used by locals, economy thrives in summer but not in winter
34
How has Niagara Falls affected locals in positive ways?
Tourists--> Jobs, money- improves economy
35
When does a flood happen?
Flooding occurs when a river gets more water than its channel can hold. Water flows over the banks and onto the surrounding land
36
What are the physical causes of the Boscastle flood?
Steep, narrow v-shaped valley High rainfall- 200mm in 4 hours Short river with small drainage basin The drainage basin is made mainly of impermeable slate
37
What are the human causes of the Boscastle flood?
Small bridges which traps debris | Building on the flood plain
38
What were the social effects of the Boscastle flood?
80 cars carried out to sea People inside had to be rescued Claim on insurance Insurance prices rise
39
What were the economic effects of the Boscastle flood?
6 buildings including hotels destroyed Loss of business Less money Need government assistance or go into debt
40
What were the environmental effects of the Boscastle flood?
Roads were under 2.75m of water Took a long time to drain ((impermeable surface)) Blocked roads in and out of Boscastle Disrupted lives
41
What 2 areas can river management be split into?
Hard and soft engineering
42
What is hard engineering?
Building entirely artificial structures using various materials such as rock, concrete and steel to reduce or stop the impact of river processes
43
Why do we manage rivers?
To prevent damage caused by deposition, erosion and flooding
44
What type of engineering, soft or hard, is a damn, and how does it work? Why are some people against them?
Hard engineering- Holds back water to create a reservoir Against- Expensive, affect wildlife, if they break settlements downstream will be affected
45
Give an example of hard engineering?
Making the channel deeper and wider to reduce flooding
46
What type of engineering is a levée, and what is it?
Hard engineering- Man made or natural banks which are built on the side of a river
47
What type of approach is soft engineering?
Contrasting
48
What is soft engineering?
Managing a river using natural materials and mimicking natural processes to protect more vulnerable areas
49
How do levees work and why can people be against them, with an example?
They allow the river to hold more water so the banks don't burst and flood May be against them as they are expensive and can break, eg Mississippi River
50
Give two methods of soft engineering and define them
Afforestation, planting of trees | Land use zoning, no houses or roads built next to river
51
What course of a river would you find waterfalls and gorges?
Upper course
52
What course of a river would you find meanders and oxbow lakes?
Middle course
53
What course of a river would you find floodplains?
Lower course
54
How does afforestation manage a river? Why do some people not like this?
Planting trees to intercept rain water= less water in channel Lack of space, farm land used- effects people's business
55
Give an approach to river and floodplain management in the future, and give examples of locations where it could be/is being used
Hard engineering- Amphibious housing ((Netherlands)) and houses on stilts ((River Thames)) Houses that don't get damaged in floods as they have empty space at the bottom of the house or the electric etc are protected Less damaged caused in the event if flood // Land is still built on // More housing for a growing population
56
Give an example of soft engineering that can be used to approach river management in the future
Land use zoning- Policies to control urban development close to or on the floodplain, this reduces the chance of flooding and the risk of damage to property // These areas can only be used for low risk activities eg football pitches and car parks // This will mean less homes will be damaged in floods

Geography: Unit 1 (4 decks)

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