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Geography > Water On The Land > Flashcards

Water On The Land Flashcards

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1
Q

Water On Land

What is a drainage basin?

A

Imaginary area of land that water collects into.

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2
Q

Water On Land

What is the mouth?

A

Where river meets sea

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3
Q

Water On Land

What is the source?

A

Where river begins - usually in mountains or at high altitude

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4
Q

Water On Land

What is water surplus?

A

Having more water than is needed - amount exceeds demand.

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5
Q

Water On Land

What is water deficit?

A

Not having enough water to meet demand.

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6
Q

Water On Land

What is a confluence?

A

Point at which two rivers or streams join.

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7
Q

Water On Land

What is attrition?

A

Rocks and stones knock into each other and wear away.

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8
Q

Water On Land

What is traction?

A

Big boulders and stones are rolled and dragged along river bed.

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9
Q

Water On Land

What is transportation?

A

When a river moves sediment from one position to another through the force of flowing water

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10
Q

Water On Land

What is deposition?

A

When a river drops sediment due to an insufficient amount of energy to carry material

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11
Q

Water On Land

What is erosion?

A

The wearing away of moving rocks.

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12
Q

Water On Land

What is a tributary?

A

A stream or smaller river which joins a larger stream or river.

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13
Q

Water On Land

What is a watershed?

A

Edge of highland surrounding a drainage basin. Marks boundary between two drainage basins.

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14
Q

Water On Land

What is a meander?

A

A large bend in river caused by both erosion and deposition.

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15
Q

Water On Land

What is a floodplain?

A

Wide valley floor on either side of river which gets flooded.

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16
Q

Water On Land

What is a levee?

A

Natural embankments along river edge which builds up when material is deposited as velocity decreases.

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17
Q

Water On Land

How are levees formed?

A

During flood material is deposited over floodplain with heaviest sediment deposited first, closest to channel. Material builds up to form levees along channel edge.

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18
Q

Water On Land

What is abrasion?

A

Pebbles are dragged along and knock into the river bed, wearing away the channel.

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19
Q

Water On Land

What is hydraulic action?

A

Pressure builds up from fast flowing water in cracks, breaking the channel.

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20
Q

Water On Land

What is suspension?

A

Very small particles are carried in river and suspended in water - making it look muddy.

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21
Q

Water On Land

What is saltation?

A

Small stones and pebbles are bounced along in flowing water.

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22
Q

Water On Land

What is weathering?

A

Erosion of rocks in situ

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23
Q

Water On Land

What are the positive economic impacts of a dam/reservoir?

A

Income generated for local community at each step of project. Provides new infrastructure for water and electricity.

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24
Q

Water On Land

What are the positive social impacts of a dam/reservoir?

A

Supplies clean water - provision of electricity encourages industrial development.

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25
Q

Water On Land

What is solution?

A

Water dissolves minerals from the river bed and this breaks up the channel.

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26
Q

Water On Land

What are aquifers?

A

Pourous rocks underground which store water - accounts for 25% of UK’s water supply.

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27
Q

Water On Land

What is hard engineering?

A

Uses construction techniques and materials such as steel and concrete to prevent flooding

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28
Q

Water On Land

What is soft engineering?

A

involves adapting to flood risks and allowing natural processes to deal with rain water.

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29
Q

Water On Land

How does the direction of erosion change at each stage of the river?

A

In upper course, vertical occurs most. Becomes lateral in middle course and both are present in lower course.

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30
Q

Water On Land

How are ox-bow lakes formed?

A

From meanders. Meander gets larger over time until neck gets very narrow. Water cuts through to find fastest route and deposition cuts off meander.

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31
Q

Water On Land

What is precipitation?

A

Any moisture that falls from sky e.g. rain/snow

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32
Q

Water On Land

What is channel flow?

A

Water travelling in rivers/streams

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33
Q

Water On Land

What is surface run-off?

A

(overland flow) Water travels across surface of Earth

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34
Q

Water On Land

What is infiltration?

A

When water travels from surface to underground

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35
Q

Water On Land

What is through flow?

A

Movement of water through unsaturated ground

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36
Q

Water On Land

What is groundwater flow?

A

Movement of water through saturated ground

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37
Q

Water On Land

What is ground water storage?

A

Water that is stored in saturated ground

38
Q

Water On Land

What are inputs?

A

When water is added to a system

39
Q

Water On Land

What are transfers?

A

When water moves within a system

40
Q

Water On Land

What is interception?

A

When objects stop precipitation reaching ground below

41
Q

Water On Land

What is soil-moisture storage?

A

Water stored below the ground in unsaturated ground

42
Q

Water On Land

What is surface storage?

A

Any water held on surface e.g. lakes/pond - some may be temporary (puddles)

43
Q

Water On Land

What are outputs?

A

When water exits a system

44
Q

Water On Land

What is evaporation?

A

Liquid water from surface stores and rivers turn into water vapour

45
Q

Water On Land

What is transpiration?

A

Liquid water evaporating from vegetation

46
Q

Water On Land

What is evapo-transpiration?

A

Evaporation and transpiration collectively known

47
Q

Water On Land

What is river discharge?

A

Most rivers enter sea and discharge river’s flow into sea

48
Q

Water On Land

What is biological weathering?

A

animals and plants cause breaking down of rocks

49
Q

Water On Land

What is chemical weathering?

A

rocks break down if they come into contact with slightly acidic rain

50
Q

Water On Land

What is freeze-thaw weathering?

A

happens when water freezes in rock. Expands and causes rock to split or break up

51
Q

Water On Land

What is saltation?

A

small stones and pebbles bounced along in flowing water

52
Q

Water On Land

What is traction?

A

big boulders and stones rolled and dragged along river bed

53
Q

Water On Land

What is suspension (transportation)?

A

very small particles carried in river and suspended in water (making it look muddy)

54
Q

Water On Land

What is solution (transportation)?

A

when minerals are dissolved in river water

55
Q

Water On Land

What are the 4 reasons for deposition?

A
  1. Reduction in gradient
  2. Reduction in volume of water
  3. Increased friction in river bed and bank causing water to slow down
  4. Adaptation of river for human use
56
Q

Water On Land

Where is sediment most likely deposited?

A

Inside bend of a meander and where river meets sea.

57
Q

Water On Land

What erosional features are found in the upper course?

A

Waterfalls/gorges.
Steep sided valleys.
Interlocking spurs.

58
Q

Water On Land

What erosional features are found in the middle course?

A

Meanders

59
Q

Water On Land

What erosional features are found in the lower course?

A

Flat land.

Ox-box lakes (meanders).

60
Q

Water On Land

What depositional features are found in the lower course?

A

Levees.

Floodplains.

61
Q

Water On Land

What depositional features are found in the upper course?

A

Large, angular sediment deposited

62
Q

Water On Land

What depositional features are found in the middle course?

A

Slip-off slopes on inside bend of meander

63
Q

Water On Land

How is a waterfall formed?

A
  1. River meets band of softer, less resistant rock, hydraulic action and abrasion creates plunge pool by eroding softer rock.
  2. Hydraulic action leaves undercut and harder, more resistant rock overhanging.
  3. Overhang collapses - transported away
  4. Process repeats and waterfall retreats upstream.
64
Q

Water On Land

What are some hard engineering techniques?

A 
Building flood banks.
Dams and reservoirs.
Barriers.
Flood walls.
Straightening and deepening the river.
Storage areas.
65
Q

Water On Land

What are some soft engineering techniques?

A 
Flood proofing.
Flood prediction and warning.
Wash lands.
Flood abatement.
Flood plain zoning.
66
Q

Water On Land

What does building flood banks involve?

A

Raising banks of river, so it can hold more water

67
Q

Water On Land

What does building dams and reservoirs involve?

A

Trap store water and release it in a controlled way. It can generate electricity and be multipurpose.

68
Q

Water On Land

What does building barriers involve?

A

Barrier is raised when high tide or flooding is forecast.

69
Q

Water On Land

What does building flood walls involve?

A

Building them around settlements, industry or roads

70
Q

Water On Land

What does straightening and deepening the river involve?

A

Straighten channel to speed up flow, or line with concrete. Dredging makes river deeper - able to carry more water.

71
Q

Water On Land

What does building storage areas involve?

A

Water pumped out of river and stored in temporary lakes. Pumped back when water level in river has dropped.

72
Q

Water On Land

What is flood plain zoning?

A

Different uses are allowed depending on the river

73
Q

Water On Land

What is flood abatement?

A

Change land use upstream e.g. planting trees (aforestation)

74
Q

Water On Land

What are wash lands?

A

Parts of floodplain that are allowed to flood

75
Q

Water On Land

What does flood prediction and warning involve?

A

environmental agency monitor river levels and rainfall. Use information plus weather forecasts to predict flooding

76
Q

Water On Land

What does flood proofing involve?

A

Design new buildings, or alter existing ones, to reduce flood risk.

77
Q

Water On Land

What are the negatives of dam construction?

A

A danger of corruption with vast inwards investment. A large influx of non-local and/or foreign contract workers may introduce disease or encourage prostitution.

78
Q

Water On Land

What are the positives of dam construction?

A

May lead to investment in local companies and provide work for local people.

79
Q

Water On Land

What are the negative social impacts of dams?

A

Local population suffers massive displacement. Stagnant lake encourages spread of water-borne diseases.

80
Q

Water On Land

What are the negative environmental impacts of dams?

A

Rivers silt up. Stagnant lake disrupts local ecosystems

81
Q

Water On Land

What are the positive environmental impacts of dams?

A

Good design minimises ecological cost, but there will always be damage with projects of this size

82
Q

Water On Land

What are the negative economic impacts of dams?

A

Costs of compensation and construction sometimes outstrip projected budget. Income from water and electricity does not cover costs.

83
Q

Water On Land

What is a water transfer scheme?

A

where water is transferred from one area to another.

84
Q

Water On Land

When is a water transfer scheme needed?

A

to maintain river flow when river levels are low, to release extra water for home or industrial work and send water to places with demand/deficit.

85
Q

Water On Land

What is water supply like in the north and west of the UK?

A

lot of rainfall means a good supply of water - water surplus

86
Q

Water On Land

What is water supply like in the south east and midlands of the UK?

A

have high population density, which means a high demand for water - water deficit

87
Q

Water On Land

How much has water usage gone up in the last 25 years?

A

50%

88
Q

Water On Land

Why is the demand for water in the UK increasing?

A
  • Increased population
  • More needed for it/uses
  • Changes in climate - less precipitation
  • Guidelines to drink more
  • People take it for granted and waste it i.e leave tap running
89
Q

Water On Land

How much water does the average single person consume?

A

165 litres per day

90
Q

Water On Land

How much water does an average family of 3 use?

A

About 150 litres each, per day.

Geography (34 decks)

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