River Processes

• What are the three main processes that occur in rivers?

  Erosion, transportation, and deposition
• What are the two types of erosion that occur in rivers?

  • Vertical erosion
  • Lateral erosion
• Where does vertical erosion primarily occur in a river?

  In the upper course of the river
• Where does lateral erosion primarily occur in a river?

  In the middle and lower courses of the river
• What are the four types of erosion in rivers?

  1. Hydraulic action
  2. Abrasion
  3. Attrition
  4. Solution
• What is hydraulic action in river erosion?

  It is the force of water hitting the riverbank
• How does abrasion contribute to river erosion?

  By materials in the water bashing against the riverbank
• What happens during attrition in a river?

  Particles collide with each other and become smaller
• What is the role of solution in river processes?

  It involves the dissolution of materials in the water
• What are the four types of transportation in rivers?

  1. Traction
  2. Saltation
  3. Suspension
  4. Solution
• How do large particles move in a river?

  They are rolled along the riverbed
• What is saltation in river transportation?

  It is the bouncing movement of smaller particles along the riverbed
• What is suspension in river transportation?

  It is when very small particles are held up by the water
• What does the term 'load' refer to in river processes?

  The materials carried by the river
• Where does deposition primarily occur in a river?

  In areas of slower flow, such as the inside of bends
• What type of materials are typically deposited in the upper course of a river?

  Large rocks
• What is a meander in river terminology?

  A bend in the river where deposition occurs on the inside
• What happens in the low energy zone of an estuary?

  River water and sea water mix, leading to deposition
• What are the landforms associated with the upper, middle, and lower courses of a river?

  • Upper course: Waterfalls
  • Middle course: Meanders
  • Lower course: River beaches and deltas
• How does the process of erosion differ between the upper and lower courses of a river?

  Erosion is more vertical in the upper course and more lateral in the lower course
• How does transportation in a river change from the upper to the lower course?

  Transportation involves larger particles in the upper course and smaller particles in the lower course
• What is the significance of the long profile of a river?

  It shows the changes in elevation from the source to the mouth
• How do river processes link to coastal processes?

  Many terms and processes are similar, affecting landforms in both environments