Geography

6.3
the river moves from its source to its mouth. Erosion,
deposition and materials rivers carry all contribute to
River process how rivers shape surrounding land.
• River processes shape the land in different ways as
River erosion
• Erosion involves the wearing
away of rock and soil found
along the river bed and banks.
Erosion also involves the
breaking down of the rock
particles being carried
downstream by the river.

Erosion 4 types

• Hydraulic action - the force of the river

against the banks can cause air to be
trapped in cracks and crevices. The
pressure weakens the banks and
gradually wears it away.
• Abrasion - rocks carried along by the river
wear down the river bed and banks.
• Attrition - rocks being carried by the
river smash together and break into
smaller, smoother and rounder
particles.
• Solution (Corrosion)- soluble particles
are dissolved into the river
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAa
HwU3vhIE

Activity
• Draw a cartoon strip to show the four ways that a river erosion
process
• Write a paragraph to explain each process
 How do rivers transport material?
Transport: Rivers pick up and carry material as they flow downstream.
 The four different river transport processes

• Traction - large boulders and rocks

are rolled along the river bed.
• Saltation - small pebbles and
stones are bounced along the
river bed.
• Suspension - fine light material is
carried along in the water.
• Solution - minerals are dissolved
in the water and carried along in
solution.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=8EIoBao-UvI
Why do rivers
deposit their
load?
• Deposition takes place when a
river slows down and no longer
has the energy to carry the
material.
• The larger rock fragments are
dropped first due to weight,
finer materials are deposited
later.

The energy of a river

decrease lead to
 deposition if
• The gradient of the river or the volume of
water decreases
• The water slows down on the inside of a
bend in the river
• The river channel becomes shallower
• The river enters a lake or the sea.

Activity
• Draw a cartoon strip to show the four ways that a river
transport bedload.
• Write a paragraph to explain why and where a river
deposits material.
• https://wordwall.net/resource/6202546/river-erosion
processes