The volume of water flowing in the river, measured in cubic metres per second
1 of 40
Velocity
The speed the river water flows at, usually measured in metres per second
2 of 40
Erosion
The wearing away of the bed and banks of the river channel by abrasion, hydraulic action, solution and attrition
3 of 40
Channel
The bed and banks of the river
4 of 40
Load
The material carried by a river
5 of 40
Source
The starting point of a river
6 of 40
Mouth
The end point of a river, where it meets the sea
7 of 40
Long profile
This shows how the gradient of the river changes from its upper to lower course
8 of 40
Drainage Basin
The area around a river, from which it receives its supply of water
9 of 40
Tributary
A smaller river that joins the main one
10 of 40
Confluence
The point at which two rivers join the main one
11 of 40
Abrasion
The transportation of sand and pebbles along the river bed causing the beds and banks to be worn down
12 of 40
Attrition
Where rocks and stones wear each other away as they knock together
13 of 40
Hydraulic action
Where fast flowing water is forced into cracks, breaking up the banks over time
14 of 40
Solution
Where alkaline rocks such as limestone are dissolved by acidic rainwater
15 of 40
Traction
When large stones are dragged along the river bed
16 of 40
Saltation
When smaller stones or pebbles are carried by the river in a 'leapfrog' motion
17 of 40
Suspension
When tiny particles of sediment are carried suspended in the flow of a river
18 of 40
Weathering
The breakdown of rock which happens where the rock is weakened by being chemically attacked and mechanically broken down
19 of 40
Storm hydrograph
A graph which shows how a river changes as a result of rainfall. It shows two things; rainfall and discharge
20 of 40
Alluvium
Rock particles (clay, silt, sand and gravel) deposited by a river, especially in times of flood
21 of 40
Antecedant rainfall
The amount of moisture already in the ground before a rainstorm
22 of 40
Bedload
The material carried by a river by being bounced or rolled along its bed
23 of 40
Estuary
The tidal mouth of a river, with large, flat expanses of mud exposed at low tide
24 of 40
Gorge
A steep-sided, narrow rocky valley marking the retreat of a waterfall
25 of 40
Bankful
The discharge or contents of the river which is just contained within its banks. This is when the velocity is at its greatest
26 of 40
Base flow
The usual, reliable level of a river
27 of 40
Floodplain
Flat land around a river that gets flooded when the river overflows
28 of 40
Helical flow
A continuous corkscrew motion of water as it flows along a river channel
29 of 40
Impermeable
A surface that doesn't let water pass through
30 of 40
Meander
A bend in the river. The outside of the meander has the fastest flow and deepest water
31 of 40
Middle course
The section of the river between the mountains and the lowland, where transport of eroded material is important and the river begins to cut sideways due to the reducing gradient
32 of 40
Oxbow lake
A lake formed when a loop in a river is cut off by floods
33 of 40
Permeable
Letting water pass through
34 of 40
Point bar
The accumulation of river sediment on the inside of a meander
35 of 40
Scree
Shattered rock fragments that gather on steep slopes
36 of 40
Thalweg
The line of fastest flow along the course of a river
37 of 40
Interlocking spurs
Hills that stick out on alternate sides of a V-shaped valley, like the teeth of a zip
38 of 40
Levées
River embankments built by deposition as the river floods
39 of 40
Lower course
The section of the river near the sea, where deposition is the most important process and the valley becomes wider and flatter
40 of 40
Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
The speed the river water flows at, usually measured in metres per second
Back
Velocity
Card 3
Front
The wearing away of the bed and banks of the river channel by abrasion, hydraulic action, solution and attrition
Comments
No comments have yet been made