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Rivers and Coasts Flashcards
Free Geography Study Cards on Flashcard Maker
From drainage basins and river profiles to coastal landforms and management strategies, these free Geography flashcards cover the physical geography you need for GCSE and A Level exams.
Question
What is a drainage basin?
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Answer
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. Separated from neighbouring drainage basins by a watershed (the high ground on the boundary).
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Question
What is a hydrograph?
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Answer
A graph showing river discharge (volume of water per second) over time in response to a rainfall event. Key features: peak discharge, lag time, rising limb, falling limb.
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Question
What is lag time?
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Answer
The time delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge on a hydrograph. Short lag time = flashy response (rapid flooding risk). Longer lag time = slower response (more permeable catchment, more vegetation).
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Question
What are the three types of river erosion?
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Answer
Hydraulic action (force of water), abrasion/corrasion (material scraping bed/banks), attrition (load particles colliding and breaking up), and solution/corrosion (chemical dissolution of rock).
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Question
What is the long profile of a river?
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Answer
A cross-section of a river from source to mouth showing how gradient changes. Steep and irregular upstream (youthful), gradually levelling toward the mouth (graded profile).
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Question
What is a V-shaped valley and how does it form?
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Answer
Found in the upper course. Vertical erosion by the river deepens the channel; weathering and mass movement widen the valley — creating a V-shape with interlocking spurs.
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Question
How do meanders form?
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Answer
In the middle/lower course — lateral erosion on the outer bank (erosion creates a river cliff) and deposition on the inner bank (builds a slip-off slope). The difference in flow speed creates a helical (corkscrew) current.
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Question
How does an oxbow lake form?
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Answer
A meander neck narrows until the river cuts through during a flood, taking the straight route. The old meander is cut off by deposition, forming a horseshoe-shaped oxbow lake.
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Question
What is a floodplain?
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Answer
The flat area of land beside a river formed by deposition of alluvium during repeated floods. Rich, fertile soil makes it valuable for farming but it is at high risk of flooding.
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Question
What is a levée?
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Answer
A raised bank of sediment along a river channel — formed when floods deposit coarser sediment close to the channel as velocity drops. Natural levées can be raised artificially for flood defence.
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