River environments: Practice Questions

Which of the following is a transfer process within the hydrological cycle?

Which human activity in a drainage basin is most likely to increase the peak discharge of a river after a storm event?

In the formation of an oxbow lake, which two processes occur simultaneously on the neck of a meander?

As a river moves from its source in the upper course towards its mouth in the lower course, which of the following typically increases?

Which set of conditions is most likely to produce a flashy storm hydrograph with a short lag time?

Define the term confluence in the context of a river system.

Distinguish between the fluvial transportation processes of saltation and suspension.

Identify the term for the boundary that separates one drainage basin from another and describe its physical nature.

River environments change significantly from their source to their mouth as they process water and sediment.
(a) Define the term fluvial erosion.
(b) Identify two physical features of a drainage basin typically found in the upper course.
(c) Describe how a river's discharge typically changes as it moves from its source toward its mouth.

The energy and physical characteristics of a river change significantly as it moves downstream.
(a) Explain how vertical erosion and weathering work together to create V-shaped valleys in the upper course of a river. (2)
(b) Describe two specific changes that occur to a river's channel width and depth as it moves from its source toward its mouth. (2)
(c) Identify one factor that influences the sediment size found along the course of a river. (1)<\/p>