Rivers

Question 1

River basin

Answer 1

the area of land drained by a river

Question 2

Precipitation

Answer 2

Any water falling from the sky (rain, snow, sleet)

Question 3

evaporation

Answer 3

Water is heated and turns from a liquid to a gas.

Question 4

condensation

Answer 4

Water cools and turns from a gas to a liquid

Question 5

surface run off

Answer 5

Flow of water over the ground surface.

Question 6

groundwater flow

Answer 6

The flow of water through the rocks.

Question 7

transpiration

Answer 7

Water loss from plants through pores in the leaves (as a gas)

Question 8

infiltration

Answer 8

Water moving into the soil (flow)

Question 9

percolation

Answer 9

Water moving into permeable rocks (flow)

Question 10

Throughflow

Answer 10

The flow of water through the soil

Question 11

interception

Answer 11

Trees catch rainfall and stop it reaching the ground (it may now evaporate or get to the ground via stem flow)

Question 12

source

Answer 12

highest point where the river originates

Question 13

mouth

Answer 13

the point where the river empties into a lerger body of water

Question 14

tributary

Answer 14

it’s a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger main river or lake

Question 15

confluence

Answer 15

the point where two or more rivers flow together to form a larger channel

Question 16

watershed

Answer 16

the entire area of land where all rainfall and snowmelt and runoff collect and drain into a common outlet

Question 17

main channel

Answer 17

the primary deepest most voluminous flow path carrying the most water and forming the longest route toward the sea

Question 18

long profile

Answer 18

a line represenitng the river fomr its source to its mouth

Question 19

Cross profile

Answer 19

it is a sideview showing the shape in a specific point

Question 20

gradient

Answer 20

he steepness or slope of the river channel,

Question 21

velocity

Answer 21

is defined as the speed at which water flows along a river channel. It is a measure of how quickly the water is moving, typically measured in metres per second (m/s).

Question 22

upper course

Answer 22

the beginning section of a river, closest to its source in uplands, characterized by steep gradients, narrow V-shaped valleys, fast-flowing water (due to gravity), process are vertical erosion and transportation.
Features includes waterfall, rapirds, Vshaped valleys and gorges

Question 23

middle course

Answer 23

the section of a river between the steep upper reaches and the flat lower course, characterized by a gentler slope, wider channel, increased water volume (discharge) from tributaries, processes include lateral (sideways) erosion, deposition and transportation.
Features are meanders, oxbow lakes, river cliffs and slip off slopes

Question 24

lower course

Answer 24

the final section of a river’s journey, where it flows across flat, low-lying land towards the sea or a lake. This section is characterized by a very gentle gradient, a wide and deep river channel, and high volumes of water.

Features includes floodplains, levees, deltas and mudflats.

processes : a lot of deposition but still erosion and transportation

Question 25

Channel

Answer 25

the physical, often V-shaped or U-shaped, groove in the landscape that contains and directs the flow of a river, consisting of a bed at the bottom and banks on either side.

Question 26

hydraulic action

Answer 26

a process of erosion where the sheer force of moving water (in a river or the sea) crashes against banks or cliffs, forcing air into cracks and causing the rock to break apart.

Question 27

solution

Answer 27

is a process of erosion and transportation where acidic water dissolves certain types of rock, such as limestone or chalk, and carries them away.

Question 28

abrasion

Answer 28

rocks rubbing on each other and sanding them down

Question 29

attrition

Answer 29

is a process of coastal or river erosion where rock fragments and pebbles carried by the water collide with each other. This constant knocking causes the rocks to break apart, becoming smaller, smoother, and more rounded over time.

Question 30

traction

Answer 30

which large, heavy rocks and boulders are rolled or dragged along the river bed or sea floor.

Question 31

saltation

Answer 31

one of the four key processes of sediment transport, where small pebbles, gravel, or sand grains are bounced or skipped along a riverbed or seabed.

Question 32

suspension

Answer 32

Suspension occurs when very fine, light materials—specifically silt and clay—are carried along within the flow of water.

Question 33

solution

Answer 33

also known as corrosion) is a key process of both erosion and transportation, where slightly acidic water dissolves certain types of rock, such as limestone or chalk, or carries dissolved minerals in solution

Question 34

sliding

Answer 34

a form of mass movement where large, cohesive blocks of rock or soil move rapidly down a slope, often due to weak, saturated material or steep, unstable gradients. It is a key erosional process in coastal landscapes, where weathered material collapses.

Question 35

slumping

Answer 35

downward, rotational movement of saturated soil and weak rock along a curved surface.

Question 36

soil creep

Answer 36

the slowest form of mass movement, involving the barely noticeable downhill movement of soil particles (often <1cm per year) on gentle slopes

Question 37

permeable

Answer 37

permeable refers to rocks, soils, or surfaces that allow water to pass through them

Question 38

impermeable

Answer 38

impermeable describes a surface or type of rock that does not allow water to pass through or soak into it.

Question 39

meander

Answer 39

a meander is defined as a bend or curve in a river, often forming a winding, snake-like pattern.

Question 40

neck

Answer 40

The "neck" is the narrow strip of land between two bends of a meandering river

Question 41

ox-bow lake

Answer 41

a U-shaped, crescent-shaped, or horseshoe-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander (a bend) in a river is cut off from the main channel.

Question 42

slip off slope

Answer 42

a slip-off slope is a gently sloping bank located on the inside bend of a river meander, formed by the deposit of sediment.

Question 43

river cliff

Answer 43

(also known as a cut bank) is a steep, often vertical, bank found on the outer bend of a meandering river. It is formed through the erosive power of the fastest-flowing water, which cuts into the bank and causes it to collapse.

Question 44

waterfall

Answer 44

a waterfall is defined as a landform of erosion found in the upper course of a river, where water flows over a steep vertical drop or a series of steep drops. They typically form when a river flows from a layer of hard, resistant rock onto a layer of softer, less resistant rock

Question 45

gorge

Answer 45

defined as a very narrow, steep-sided valley with rocky walls, usually found in the upper course of a river. It is a major landform created by the power of water, typically marking the location where a waterfall has retreated upstream over thousands of years.

Question 46

levee

Answer 46

is a natural, raised bank or ridge of sediment found alongside the edges of a river channel. They are formed in the lower course of a river as a result of deposition during flooding.

Question 47

deposition

Answer 47

deposition is defined as the natural process where material—such as sand, pebbles, rocks, or soil (collectively known as sediment)—is dropped, laid down, or left behind by water, wind, or ice.

Question 48

erosion

Answer 48

the natural process of wearing away rock, soil, and other materials on the Earth's surface and transporting them to a new location

Question 49

Estuary

Answer 49

a coastal body of water where a river meets the sea, serving as a transition zone between freshwater (river) and saltwater (ocean)

Question 50

discharge

Answer 50

the volume of water flowing through a river channel at any given point

Question 52

transportation

Answer 52

the movement of eroded material (load) by water

Question 53

Mass movement

Answer 53

the downhill movement of rock, soil, and sediment under the influence of gravity

Question 54

rock fall

Answer 54

rapid form of mass movement where fragments of rock break away from a steep cliff face and fall, bounce, or roll to the bottom

Question 55

meander scar

Answer 55

is a geological feature formed by the remnants of a meandering water channel.

Question 56

overhang

Answer 56

overhang refers to a ledge of harder, more resistant rock that is left protruding or suspended in the air after the softer rock underneath it has been eroded away. It is a key feature in the formation of waterfalls and coastal cliffs.

Question 57

floodplain

Answer 57

generally flat, low-lying area of land next to a river or stream that is prone to being covered in water during times of flooding.

Question 58

Coarse

Answer 58

to large, rough sediment particles (such as gravel, pebbles, or large sand grains) transported by rivers, waves, or glaciers

Question 59

sediment

Answer 59

is defined as solid material—such as rock fragments, sand, mud, soil, or organic matter—that has been broken down by weathering, transported by natural forces (water, wind, or ice), and deposited in a new location

Question 60

interlocking spurs

Answer 60

ridges of hard, resistant rock that project from alternating sides of a steep-sided V-shaped river valley. Found in the upper course of a river, these landforms resemble the interlocking teeth of a zipper.