Earth's Surface (Part 1)

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to Earth's surface processes and features.

discharge

The quantity of water in a stream that passes a given point in a period of time.

erosion

Process by which sediment and other materials are moved from one place to another.

deposition

Process by which eroded material is dropped.

weathering

Process by which rock is broken down into smaller pieces by either physical or chemical means.

gradient

The measure of the change in elevation over a certain distance.

elevation

The height of land above sea level.

load

The amount of sediment that a river or stream carries.

canyon/valley

Formed by erosion, caused by a stream/river.

meander

Bending or curve of a stream/river where material is eroded.

point bar

A crescent-shaped accumulation of sand and gravel deposited on the inside of a meander.

floodplain

An area along a river that forms from sediments deposited when the river overflows its banks.

alluvial fan

A process that occurs when a stream flows onto a flat land surface from a mountain or hill, creating a fan-shaped deposit on dry land.

groundwater

Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers.

shoreline

The place where land and a body of water meet.

headlands

Points of high land that stick out into a body of water.

beach

An area of the shoreline that is made up of deposited sediment.

deconstructive forces

Forces that shape the Earth's surface by tearing down or destroying landmasses; destroying crust.

constructive forces

Forces that shape Earth's surface by building mountains and landmasses.

delta

Triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of some rivers.