C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GCSE

Chapter 5 Answers to additional questions

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a i Attrition is the process of erosion where a i A gorge is a deep, steep-sided valley.
fragments of the river’s load become smaller ii A plunge pool is a deep hollow in a river bed
and more rounded by collision with the bed at the foot of a waterfall.
and banks and each other. iii Rapids are an irregular, often steeper, section
ii Traction is the transport process where of the long profile of a river where the water is
material rolls downstream, staying in contact disturbed and white.
with the river bed. iv Interlocking spurs are ridges or shoulders of land
iii Corrosion is the process of erosion where which slope down towards a river from either
certain minerals in the rocks of the channel side of the valley that the river winds round.
are dissolved by the river water. b In its upper course, the river is most concerned
iv Erosion is the process by which a river (or with vertical erosion. One feature formed by this
waves in the sea, or ice or wind) wears away process in the bed of the river is a pothole.
and removes rocks and sediment. c  When a horizontal layer of hard rock lies over a
v Hydraulic action is the process of erosion by layer of soft rock, a waterfall may form.
which the force of running water alone  The soft rock is eroded more quickly and a
removes material from the bed and banks. plunge pool develops at the bottom of the
vi The load is the boulders, pebbles, sand, silt, waterfall.
mud and minerals in solution carried by a river.  The splashing water and eddy currents in the
vii Saltation is the transport process where plunge pool undercut the hard rock above.
material moves downstream in a series  The hard rock layer is left unsupported and
of hops. collapses.
viii Suspension is the transport process where  The processes of undercutting and collapse
mud and silt are held within the body of the are repeated over a long period of time, and
water, making it discoloured. the waterfall slowly retreats upstream.
ix Corrasion (abrasion) is the process of erosion  A gorge is left behind as the waterfall retreats.
where the bed and banks of the river are d The water is actually flowing relatively slowly. This
eroded by the abrasive effect of the river’s is because the river is smaller than it is further
load. downstream and this means that there is greater
b The faster the river flows, the larger the rock friction between the water and the bed and banks
fragments eroded and transported in the load can of the river. This is despite the fact that the
be. Large boulders can only be moved by very fast gradient is steeper.
flows.
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c Just by looking at a river, you will be able to tell if
a Possible labels for your sketch of Fig. 5.16 are:
some transport is taking place:
meander erosion (on the right), deposition (on the
 You will be unable to see the dissolved load,
left), fast flow (on the right), slow flow (on the
because it’s too small.
left), and slip-off slope or point bar (on the left).
 The suspension load will be visible, because
No river cliff is visible but there could be one
the water will be discoloured by it.
behind the bushes on the outer bend.
 You might be able to see saltating particles.
b The different types of deposit which build up the
 You can sometimes hear rocks moving by
flood plain of a river are:
traction in torrential flows.
 deposition of point bars on the insides of
2 meanders
a Deposition will occur if a river loses velocity  deposition of gravel on the river bed
(energy), because:  deposition of fine silt and mud on the flood
 of a decrease in gradient plain itself, during floods when the river
 of a decrease in river flow (discharge), as overflows its banks.
water drains away after heavy rain c i A delta is an area of flat land where a river
 it enters the sea or a lake meets a sea or lake (formed by river deposits).
 it flows more slowly on the inside of bends. ii Distributaries are the channels formed when a
river divides (especially the braided channels
b Discharge is the volume of water flowing down the
in a delta).
river (measured in cubic metres per second).
iii A flood plain is the area of flat land on either
Rainfall and melting snow are the main factors
side of a river that occasionally floods.
affecting discharge, but temperature and
iv Levées are the raised banks on either side of
evaporation, steepness of slopes, amount of
a river flowing across a flood plain.
vegetation and permeability of the rock also play
v An oxbow lake is an old meander that has
a part.
become cut off from the river.
c Meandering and braided are two terms that can
describe the shape or pattern of a river as seen
on a map.

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 Chapter 5 Answers to additional questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GCSE

d The erosion that still goes on in a river’s lower 7

course is lateral (sideways) rather than vertical. It a Factors which will increase the discharge of a river
happens on the outsides of meanders as they are: heavy rainfall, impermeable rocks, urban
migrate, and also when meanders are cut off to surfaces, lack of vegetation (or deforestation),
form oxbow lakes. ploughing up and down slopes, steep slopes,
antecedent rainfall, lower temperatures and
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evaporation, rapid runoff from frozen surfaces,
a  The source is the point from which the river
snow melt.
starts (in the upper course).
b Rainwater can reach a river in a number of ways:
 The mouth is the end of the river, where it
 When rainwater lands on the ground (if it does
enters the sea or a lake.
not evaporate), it might run off over the
 The long profile is a vertical cross-section
surface and flow directly into a river.
drawn along a river from its source to its
 However, if it soaks into the ground, it will
mouth.
travel more slowly through the soil, or through
b Long profile the rock. It might then come back to the
Upper course Lower course surface at a spring that feeds a river.
yy Steep yy Gentle c i A hydrograph (or flood hydrograph) is a graph
yy Waterfalls and rapids yy Smooth showing river flow over a period of time.
yy Slow flow yy Fast flow ii The time gap between the highest rainfall and
the highest discharge of the river is called the
c The long profile of a river get smoother over time lag time.
by erosion (removing waterfalls and rapids) and iii A rock which does not allow rainwater to pass
deposition (filling in hollows like lakes). through it is called impermeable.
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a Advantages of waterfalls for human activities: a The Indus River begins in high mountains (the
 They provide scenic beauty, which allows the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Ladakh ranges). Here
development of the tourist industry. In turn, this there is more likelihood of heavy rainfall, melting
brings employment in hotels, restaurants, etc. snow and steep slopes from which the rain will
 The great power of the falls can be used to run off rapidly.
develop hydroelectricity. b The scale of the problem was so great (160 000 km2
 The above features then attract even more flooded) that a country with fewer resources, like
development. The location of a waterfall is Pakistan, will find it more difficult to cope. Therefore,
often where economic development becomes there was a need for more foreign aid. Three months
concentrated, as at Niagara Falls on the after the flood, 7 million people were still without
American/Canadian border. proper shelter.
Disadvantages of waterfalls for human activities: c The causes of death and suffering in the Pakistan
 There can be problems with navigation and floods were: drowning, malnutrition, thirst and
crossing the river. diseases caused by polluted water.
b Advantages that rivers in general can bring to 9
those who live near them: a The causes of flooding in Queensland, Australia,
 The flat land makes it easy to build roads and in December 2010 and January 2011:
settlements and carry out agriculture. Weather:
 Soils are often mineral-rich and fertile,  Heavy rainfall caused by tropical cyclone
because of the silt and mud deposited by the Tasha, combined with the La Nin̂a weather
river, so agriculture is profitable. pattern.
 Valleys are often natural routeways.  On 24 December, a low-pressure system
 Rivers may be navigable – allowing transport crossed the coast from the Coral Sea, bringing
and trade. torrential rain.
 Rivers may contain fish to provide a food supply.  On 10 January, heavy rainfall occurred
 Rivers provide a water supply. further south.
Disadvantages that rivers in general can bring to Relief:
those who live near them:  The upper courses of the Fitzroy River, the
 As well as providing fertile silt for agriculture, Burnett River and the Condamine/Balonne
flooding can also destroy land and property in Rivers are in the Great Dividing Range
river valleys. mountains. Their steep slopes caused the
 In some places, particularly in the tropics, people rainfall to run off quickly into the rivers.
living in areas around rivers can be prone to  The lower courses of the rivers have broad,
tropical diseases, like malaria or river blindness. coastal flood plains, on which towns like
Rockhampton are built.
The size of the areas drained by the rivers:
 The rivers collect water from very large areas.
 For example, the Fitzroy River drains an area
of 142 665 km2.

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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2012
 Chapter 5 Answers to additional questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GCSE

b The relative wealth of Australia helped the c The effects on people of the floods in Australia
responses to the floods, which included the were less than in Pakistan. About 50 people were
evacuation of many people, building a metal flood killed, compared with at least 1600 in Pakistan.
barrier around the airport at Emerald, bringing in The long-term effects are also likely to be less
drinking water supplies, controlling the flood serious. The population density of Australia is
waters with flood gates, and using the army to much less than in Pakistan, which also helped to
bring relief. minimise the effects on people.

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