Long profiles and Cross sections

• the watershed is the edge of the basin within which water is collected
• precipitation is the input into the water cycle
• the long profile is the change in the gradient with distance
• In the upper course, a river has a steep sided valley and a thin channel
• in the middle course, the valley floor is developing, and the river channel widens
• in the lower course, there are wide flood plains, and a deep and wide river valley
• v-shaped valleys are found in the upper course of a river
• waterfalls are generally found in the middle course of a river
• estuaries are usually found in the lower course of a river
• in the upper course, the erosion is mainly vertical
• the size of the load in a rivers upper course is mostly large and angular
• in the middle course of a river, lateral erosion is more common
• the lower course does not show many signs of any type of erosion
• the load of a river in the lower course is mostly small and rounded