The continuous circulation of water between land, sea and air
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Drainage Basin
An area of land drained by a river and all of its tributaries
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Watershed
The boundary between drainage basins, it is often a ridge of high land
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Source
The starting point of a river, it may be a lake, glacier or marsh
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Tributary
A stream which flows into a larger river
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Confluence
The point where two rivers meet
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Mouth
The end of a river where it meets the sea, ocean or lake
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Discharge
The amount of water which is passing a certain point in a certain time. It is measured in cumecs (cubic metres per second)
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Interception
The process whereby precipitation is prevented from falling onto the ground by plants
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Groundwater Flow
Water which is moving throught the bedrock
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Surface Runoff
Water which is moving over the surface of the land
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Infiltration
The movement of water into the soil
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Through-flow
Water which is moving through the soil
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Percolation
The movement of water from the soil into the bedrock
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Erosion
Wearing away of the landscape by the action of ice, water and wind
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Attrition
A process of erosion where transported particles hit against eachother making the particles smaller and more rounded
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Abrasion/ Corrasion
The grinding of rock fragments carried by a river against the bed and banks of the river
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Abrasion/ Corrasion cont.
A process of erosion which occurs when a wave hits the coast and throws pebbles against the cliff face. These knock off small parts of the cliff causing undercutting
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Hydraulic Action
A form of erosion caused by the force of moving water. It undercuts riverbanks on the outside of meanders and forces air into cracks in exposed rocks in waterfalls
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Hydraulic Action cont.
The process whereby soft rocks are washed away by the sea. Air trapped in cracks by the force of water can widen cracks causing sections of cliff to break away from the cliff face
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Solution/ Corrosion
The process by which water (in river or sea) reacts chemically with soluble minerals in the rocks and dissolves them
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Transportation
The movement of material across the Earth's surface
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Suspension
The transportation of the smallest load e.g. fine sand and clay which is held up continually within river or seawater
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Saltation
The bouncing of medium-sized load along a riverbed or seabed
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Traction
The rolling of large rocks along a river or seabed
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Deposition
The dropping of material on the Earth's surface
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Flooding
A temporary covering by water of land which is normally dry
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Hard Engineering
A strategy to control a natural hazard which does not blend into the environment
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Soft Engineering
A strategy to control a natural hazard which does blend into the environment so is often sustainable
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Constructive Wave
A wave with a strong swash and weak backwash which contributes deposition to a beach
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Destructive Wave
A wave with a strong backwash and weak swash which erodes a coast
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Longshore Drift
The process whereby beach material moves along a coastline, caused by waves hitting the coast at an angle
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
An area of land drained by a river and all of its tributaries
Back
Drainage Basin
Card 3
Front
The boundary between drainage basins, it is often a ridge of high land
Back
Card 4
Front
The starting point of a river, it may be a lake, glacier or marsh
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