River Long and Cross Profiles Quiz

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What is the long profile of a river?

The long profile of a river represents the course of the river and its journey from the source to the mouth.

What are the three sections of a river's long profile called?

The three sections are the upper course, middle course, and lower course.

What are the characteristics of the upper course of a river's cross profile?

The upper course has deep valley sides and a narrow river channel.

What is the Bradshaw model used for?

The Bradshaw model is used to describe how a river's characteristics change between the upper, middle, and lower courses as it travels downstream. Signup and view all the answers

What are some landforms found in the upper course of a river?

V-shaped valleys and steep valley sides. Signup and view all the answers

What are some characteristics of the middle course of a river?

Meanders, oxbow lakes, and a less steep gradient. Signup and view all the answers

What are some features of the lower course of a river?

Flat valley sides, flood plains, levees, and estuaries. Signup and view all the answers

What is river discharge and how does it change from the upper course to the lower course?

River discharge refers to the amount of volume of water within a river at a given time. In the upper course of a river, the discharge is small, but it increases in the middle course and then increases again in the lower course. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the changes in erosion along the different courses of a river.

In the upper course of a river, erosion is mainly vertical downwards erosion, resulting in steep valley sides. In the middle course, there is more lateral and vertical erosion due to meanders and oxbow lakes. In the lower course, erosion is minimal due to increased deposition, creating estuaries and deltas. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how transportation and deposition change as the river flows from its source to its mouth.

In the upper course, transportation is limited due to the small amount of energy in the river. In the middle course, there is some movement of sediment within meanders and oxbow lakes. In the lower course, transportation is significant, leading to the creation of deltas and estuaries. Deposition also increases from source to mouth, with the most deposition occurring in the lower course. Signup and view all the answers

How does the load size of sediment change along the course of a river?

In the upper course of a river, there are large boulders and rocks. In the middle course, the load size decreases, with more pebbles and smaller boulders. In the lower course, the load size consists mostly of finer material such as sand, silt, and clay, with some pebbles. Signup and view all the answers