Today’s lesson...

Rivers and the Long Profile

Learning intentions
Today we are learning to.. The rivers
- understand what is meant by a river’s long profile long profile

- understand how and why the characteristics of a

river changes downstream from source to mouth. SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

Success criteria - define the

terms long
By the end of the lesson you should be able to.. profile

- Define the term long profile - explain how

and why the
- Explain how and why the long profile changes long profile
changes

downstream
downstream

- explain how
- Explain how and why discharge and velocity and why
discharge and
change downstream velocity change
downstream
 02/03/2022

Rivers and the Long Profile

The course of a River
When studying rivers we usually think of them in 3 main parts. Each part of
the river has distinctive features which form and the characteristics of the river
and its valley change significantly downstream. The rivers
long profile
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course
SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

- define the
terms long
profile

- explain how
and why the
long profile
changes
downstream

- explain how
and why
discharge and
velocity change
downstream
 Note down these key words
Key Terms.. and their definitions

As the river flows downstream there are a number of key changes

which occurs in terms of its key characteristics.
The rivers
These characteristics include: long profile
•Gradient The change in the slope of the river bed as it passes from
source to mouth
SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
•Channel Width The distance from one bank to another By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

- define the
•Channel Depth The distance from the surface of the water to the terms long
profile
channel bed
- explain how
and why the

•Velocity The speed at which water is moving through the channel – long profile
changes
measured in m/s downstream

- explain how
The amount of water passing a given point in a given and why
•Discharge time – measured in cumecs (metres3/second) calculated discharge and
velocity change
downstream
by velocity x volume
A River’s Long Profile
 
A Long Profile – shows how the river’s gradient changes as it flows from
source to mouth

Remember: A river’s work is to cut down from its source (at higher ground) to The rivers
meet the sea (at sea level) so the gradient decrease along the rivers’ long long profile
profile.
Long profile shows the SUCCESS
change in gradient. CRITERIA:
By the end of the
It starts steep and reduces lesson I should be
able to...
with distance from the
source. - define the
terms long
It has a Concave profile profile

- explain how
and why the
long profile
changes
downstream

- explain how
and why
discharge and
velocity change
downstream
The course of a River
When studying rivers we usually think of them in 3 main parts. Each part of
the river has distinctive features which form and the characteristics of the river
and its valley change significantly downstream. The rivers
long profile
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course
SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

- define the
terms long
profile

- explain how
and why the
long profile
changes
downstream

- explain how
and why
discharge and
velocity change
downstream
Applying your knowledge:

Using the diagram below – describe the river’s long profile (2 marks)
The rivers
long profile

SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

- define the
terms long
profile

- explain how
and why the
long profile
changes
downstream

- explain how
Possible Answers: and why
discharge and
The gradient is steep in the upper course velocity change
downstream
The gradient gets much more gentle in the lower course
The shape of the long profile is smooth and curved.
What changes along the long profile?
River Downstream Reason for this
Characteristic Change
(increase or
decrease)

Channel Erosion will occur which

Width and
Depth deepens and widens the
The rivers
channel. In the upper course the
Inc river cuts into its bed (vertical long profile
erosion) as it moves down to
the middle course it erodes into
its banks (lateral erosion).
SUCCESS
Gradient CRITERIA:
This will decrease as the river By the end of the
flows downstream as it passes lesson I should be

Dec
able to...
from the upland area down to
the lowland area where it - define the
enters the sea. terms long
profile
Velocity As the river gets deeper the - explain how
speed of flow can increase as and why the
Inc there is less friction as there is long profile
changes
less contact between the river downstream
and its banks.
- explain how
Discharge
As the river goes downstream and why
discharge and
more tributaries feed into, the
Inc velocity and channel volume is
velocity change
downstream
also increasing so discharge
increases.
Linking your knowledge.. Use pages 114-117

Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course

The rivers
long profile

SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course By the end of the
lesson I should be
able to...

Erosion Vertical. Less - define the

erosion when terms long
profile
channel shallow.
- explain how
Transport Larger rocks are only and why the
long profile
transported a short changes
distance but… downstream

- explain how
Deposition and why
discharge and
velocity change
Complete the table to describe the amount and main characteristics of downstream

each of the three processes taking part along the course of the river as it
passes down its long profile.
Linking your knowledge..
Upper Course Middle Course Lower Course

Erosion Vertical. Less Lateral erosion Lateral erosion takes

erosion when takes place as place but slows down The rivers
channel shallow gradient is less. towards the mouth as long profile
as more deposition increases.
friction.
Transport Larger rocks are Lots of River begins to deposit SUCCESS
CRITERIA:
only transportation of material it is transporting By the end of the
transported a material. Solution, as it gets nearer to the lesson I should be
able to...
short distance suspension, mouth. Larger material is
but finer traction and deposited first. Finer - define the
sediment held saltation. material is deposited terms long
profile
in suspension. sometimes as an estuary.
- explain how
and why the
long profile
changes
Deposition Larger rocks Deposition occurs A large amount of downstream

tend to be where velocity deposition occurs at the - explain how

deposited. Finer slows down by mouth, where the and why
discharge and
material friction at bed and interaction with tides and velocity change
transported. banks. gentle gradient greatly downstream
reduces velocity.