Erosion Basics
The process that moves sediment from one place to another.
Erosion
The bending or curving of a river is called a ______.
Meander
A wide, flat area along a river that floods easily.
Floodplain
The breaking down of rock in place.
Weathering
Slow-moving water carries ______ sediment.
Smaller/Less
Type of weathering that breaks rocks into smaller pieces without changing composition.
Physical
Erosion happens on the ______ side of a meander.
Outside
Forms when sediment builds up where a river enters an ocean or lake.
Delta
The movement of rock.
Erosion
When a river floods it leaves nutrient-rich sediment called ________.
Silt or alluvium
The main agent of erosion on Earth.
Water
When a river slows down, it drops sediment. This process is called _______.
Deposition
A curved lake formed from a cutoff meander.
Oxbow Lake
The dropping or settling of sediment.
Deposition
The path a river follows from start to finish
River Course
The faster water flows, the ______ sediment it can carry.
More
A triangle-shaped deposit at a river’s mouth is called a ______.
Delta
Tall, fan-shaped deposits at the base of mountains.
Alluvial Fans
Waves crashing on shore cause this type of erosion.
Wave Erosion
Where a river begins.
Source
A river’s energy comes mostly from this factor.
Gradient (Slope)
Narrow valleys with steep sides carved by fast water.
Canyons
When a river drops heavy sediment first and smaller pieces later.
Sorted deposits
The chemical process where rocks react with oxygen.
Oxidation
Where a river ends.
Mouth