Water on the Land Flashcards
A source is?
where a river begins
A mouth is?
where a river enters the sea
Tributaries is?
smaller rivers that join a larger river channel
A confluence is?
where a tributary joins a larger river channel
What is a drainage basin?
The area of land drained by a single river system.
A watershed is ?
the edge of the drainage basin
What is a long profile?
the entire length of the river from source to mouth.
What is a discharge?
The volume of water being carried in the river chanel
What is erosion?
The breakdown of rock and sediment by moving forces.
Name two types of erosion?
Vertical - the downward erosion of the river channel caused by the downward pull of gravity on the river water. This occurs on the upper course and creates and steep sided cross profile.
Lateral- The sideways erosion of the river channel. This occurs in the middle and lower course and creates a very wide, flat cross profile.
Abrasion is?
Where the river’s flow throws sand and sediment against the river bed and banks.
Hydraulic action is?
where the rivers flow erodes the bed and banks
Attrition is?
where particles carried in the river rub against each other and are worn down.
Corrosion is?
The action of aids and salts in river water corroding the bed and banks.
What is Transportation?
The movement of sediment from one place to another
Traction is?
The rolling of larger boulders on the river bed
Saltation is?
The bouncing of smaller boulders on the river bed.
Suspension is?
When sediment is carried in the body of water.
Solution is?
When the sediment is dissolved in water.
What is deposition?
The dumping of the sediment load carried in the waves. Encouraged by reduction in flow, a fall in discharge or an obstruction in flow.
Bedload is?
The sediment that is too large to be carried in the water and is found on the river bed (moved by traction and saltation at times of high flow).
Angular bedload is?
found in the upper course it is very jagged, not been smoothed via erosion.