Water ErosionChapter 3Section 2

StandardS 6.2.a – Students know water running

downhill is the dominant process in shaping the landscape

S6.2.b- Students know rivers and streams are dynamic systems that erode, transport sediment in natural and recurring patterns.

Anticipatory Set

Record how many drops a faucet releases in 1 minute

Place one bar of soap in a dry placePlace one bar of soap in a wet placeLet this go on for 10 minutesWhat happened after 10 minutes to each bar

of soap?

VocabularyRunoff-water that moves over earth’s surfaceRill- runoff forms tiny grooves in the soilGully- large groove, or channel that carries

runoff from storms. Stream- a channel that water is flowing down

a slopeEnergy- the ability to do work or cause

change

VocabularyLanguage of the

DisciplineFlood plain- flat, wide area of land along a riverMeander- loop-like bend in the course of a riverOxbow lake- a meander that has been cut off from

the riverAlluvial fan- a wide, sloping deposit of sediment-

formed when a stream leaves a mountain rangeDelta- sediment deposited where a river flows into a

lake builds up a landformLoad- the amount of sediment that a river carries

Input

Input

Summer- water running, pebbles and sand move at the bottom of the river, it carries leaves downstream. Insects drink from the river

Winter- the stream freezes, chunks of ice grid away at the stream bed and banks.

Spring- stream floods and may be strong enough to move large rocks.

Streams- cause erosion because of the sediments it carries

Input

Runoff- water that moves over Earth’s surface.

Runoff that flows in a thin layer over the land is called sheet erosion.

5 factors Amount of rain Vegetation Type of soil Shape of land How people use the land

Input

Through erosion, a river creates valleys, waterfalls, flood plains, meanders and oxbow lakes.

Energy- the ability to do workAll along a river, the water’s energy does

work. Rivers often form on steep mountain slopesNear the mouth of a river, it is fast flowing,

and follows a straight and narrow course.

Input

Waterfalls- occurs when a river meets hard rock and erodes it slowly. It flows over the rock and then flows over softer rock downstream.

Softer rock wears away faster than harder rock

Floodplain- flat, wide area of land. This occurs when it overflows its banks during flooding

Input

A river is a dynamic system. A rivers slope, volume of flow and the shape of its

streambed all affect how fast the river flows and how much sediment it can erode.

The amount of sediment that a river carries is called a load.

Slope- if more water flows through a river, then its speed will increase.

Flow- the volume of water that moves past a point on a river in a given time

Video

Video Field Trip