Water On The Land

Question 1

What are the characteristics of the upper course of the river?

Answer 1

Steep gradient
V shaped valley 
Steep sides
Narrow
Shallow channel

Question 2

What are the characteristics of the middle course of the river

Answer 2

Medium gradient
Gently sloping valley sides
Wider
Deeper channel

Question 3

What are the characteristics of the lower course of the river

Answer 3

Gentle gradient 
Very wide 
Almost flat valley
Very wide
Deep channel

Question 4

Name the four types of erosion

Answer 4

Hydraulic action
Abrasion
Attrition
Solution

Question 5

Make the four types of transport

Answer 5

Traction
Saltation
Suspension
Solution

Question 6

Why do rivers slow down and deposit material?

Answer 6

The volume of the river walls
The amount of eroded material in the water increases
The water is shallower (inside of the bend)
The river reaches its mouth

Question 7

How are meanders formed?

Answer 7

The current is faster on the outside of the bend (deeper)
More erosion takes place on the outside of bend forming river cliffs
The current is slower in the inside (more friction)
Eroded material is deposited on inside of bend forming slip off slopes

Question 8

How are Ox-Bow lakes formed?

Answer 8

Erosion causes the outside the get loser until there’s a small bit off land left between bends
The rivers breaks through this land during a flood and the river flows along the shortest course
Deposition cuts off the meander forming a sox-Bow lake

Question 9

How are waterfalls and gorges formed?

Answer 9

Erosion

Question 10

How are Flood plains and levees formed?

Answer 10

Deposition

Question 11

What is river discharge?

Answer 11

The volume of water that flows in a river per second measured in cubic metres per second (m^3/s)

Question 12

What factors affect river discharge?

Answer 12

Amount and type of rainfall
Temperature 
Previous weather conditions 
Rock type 
Land use 
Relief

Question 13

Why do rivers flood? (Physical factors)

Answer 13

Prolonged rainfall
Snowfall
Heavy rainfall
Relief

Question 14

Why do rivers flood (human factors)

Answer 14

Deforestation

Building construction

Question 15

Hard engineering methods

Answer 15

Dams and reservoirs- a huge walk build across rivers and a reservoir is formed behind the dam
Channel straightening- a rivers course is straightened and meanders are cut out by building artificial straight channels

Question 16

Soft engineering methods

Answer 16

Flood warnings- the environment agency warns people about flooding through tv or radios etc
Flood plain zoning- restrictions prevent building on parts of a flood plain that are likely to be affected by floods
‘Do nothing’- no money is spent and nothing is done because it is a natural process

Question 17

What are the disadvantages for hard engineering?

Answer 17

Dams and reservoirs- expensive to build and building reservoirs can flood existing settlements
Channel straightening- flooding may happen downstream because flood water is carried there faster and more erosion is caused

Question 18

What are the advantages for hard engineering?

Answer 18

Dams and reservoirs- reservoirs store water which reduces risk of flooding and used as drinking wRt and HEP
Channel straightening- water moves out the area faster because it doesn’t travel as far

Question 19

What are the disadvantages of soft engineering?

Answer 19

Flood warnings- they don’t actually stop a flood from happening and people might not hear or have access to flood warnings
Flood plain zoning- it’s no help in areas that have already been built on
‘Do nothing’- risks and impacts are reduced and it will cause a lot of damage and

Question 20

What are the advantages of soft engineering?

Answer 20

Flood warnings- give people time to move possessions upstairs and put down sandbags and evacuate
Flood plain zoning- there aren’t any houses or roads to be damaged and impermeable surfaces aren’t created
‘Do nothing’- the rivers flood and eroded material is deposited on the flood plain which makes farmland more fertile

Question 21

What is the UK’s average annual rainfall like?

Answer 21

North and west- high rainfall (good supply of water)

South east and midlands- high demand for water (greater demand than supply)

Question 22

How does the UK manage its water supply?

Answer 22

Transfer water from areas with too much to areas with not enough
Build reservoirs to store more water