Earth's Surface Part 1

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

location 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

delta

triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of some rivers caused by a decrease in speed as the river discharges into a larger stationary body of water

alluvial fan

a process that occurs when a stream flows onto a flat land surface from a mountain or hill, creates 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

dune

a mound of wind-deposited sand that moves as a result of the action of wind

loess

fine-grained sediments of quartz, feldspar, hornblende, mica, and clay deposited by wind.

glacier

a large mass of ice that exists year-round and moves over land

glacial drift

the rock material carried and deposited by glaciers

creep

the slow downhill movement of weathered rock material

landslide

the sudden movement of rock and soil down a slope

mudflow

the flow of a mass of mud or rock and soil mixed with a large amount of water

constructive forces

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

deconstructive forces

forces that shape the Earth's surface by tearing down or destroying landmasses; destroys crust