River Landscapes AQA

What is a river drainage basin?

• The point in which 2 rivers meet.

• A smaller river which enters a larger river.

• The boundary between to drainage basins.

• The start of a river.

• The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

A river can be divided into different sections, and in each section there are different characteristics. But, how many sections do we typically divide rivers into?

• 2 - Upper and Lower

• 3 - Upper, Middle, and Lower

• 4 - Upper, Upper-Middle, Lower-Middle, Lower

What type of features do you find in the upper course? Select all correct answers.

• Waterfalls

• Floodplains

• Meanders

• Ox-bow lakes

• interlocking spurs

What type of features do you find in the lower course? Select all correct answers.

• levees

• Floodplains

• Meanders

• Ox-bow lakes

• interlocking spurs

What are the characteristics of the upper course of a river? Tick all relevant answers.

• Narrow channel

• Large rocks and boulders

• Shallow

• Deep

• wide

What are the characteristics of the lower course?

• Wider channel

• Deeper

• Finer rocks, pebbles and sediment.

• Lower velocity compared to the upper course

• Low discharge

What is the gradient typically like in the upper course?

• Steep

• Shallow

• Flat

Vertical erosion is the downward erosion caused by a river, while lateral erosion is when a river erodes the river channel sideways. But, where is vertical erosion more dominant?

• Upper course, where the river gradient is steeper.

• Lower course, where river gradient is shallow.

• Middle course, where the river gradient is gentle.

How does the cross-profile of a river change from the upper to the lower course?

• The cross-profile of a river becomes wider and deeper.

• The cross-profile becomes narrower and shallower.

• The cross-profile remains the same.

There are 4 types of erosion that happen inside a river. Match the following definition to the correct type of erosion - rocks carried by the river rub and scrape against the bed and the banks wearing them down.

• Hydraulic action

• Abrasion

• Attrition

• Solution