[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-208248-en":3,"doc-seo-208248-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":90},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},208248,8814010472675,"Xiajie","https://avatar.qwps.com/avatar/WGlhamll",4,"Exam","AQA GCSE Geography - River Landscapes in the UK - Your notes","AQA GCSE Geography notes focused on river landscapes in the UK, explaining how river valleys and channels change downstream. The guide covers the long profile and cross profiles, linking concave gradient patterns and typical course characteristics to processes and resulting landforms. It details fluvial erosion (vertical and lateral), transportation methods (traction, saltation, suspension, solution), and deposition controls including reduced discharge, gradient, and river bends. Worked examples, marking guidance, and common errors support exam practice.","AQA GCSE Geography  \nRiver Landscapesin the UK  \nContents  \n Changing River Shape  Fluvial Landforms  River Management  \nYour notes  \nChanging River Shape  \nalternativeSpecification links  \nThe notes on this page cover part of 3 .1.3.3 River landscapes in the UK on the AQA GCSE specification.  \n3.1.3.3-Key idea: The shape of river valleys changes as rivers flow downstream.  \n The long profile and changing cross profile of a river and its valley.  \n Fluvial processes:  \n Erosion – hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, vertical and lateral erosion.  \n Transportation – traction, saltation, suspension and solution.  \n Deposition –why rivers deposit sediment.  \nRiver long profile and cross profiles River characteristics  \n All rivers have long and cross profiles  \n Each river 's long and cross profiles are unique but they do have some characteristics in common  \n These profiles show changes in river characteristics from the source to the mouth  \nLong profile  \n The long profile of a river shows the changes in the river gradient from the source to the mouth  \n Most long profiles have a concave shape with similar characteristics:  \n The source is usually in an upland area  \n The upper course of the river includes areas which are steep with uneven surfaces  \n In the middle course the gradient decreases  \n In the lower section the gradient decreases further until it becomes almost flat  \nRiver long profile  \nDiagram of atypical long profile  \nCross profiles  \n The cross profiles of a river are cross-sections from one bank to another  \n Cross profiles ofthe upper, middle and lower courses show the changes in the river channel and valley  \n Upper course characteristics include:  \n Shallow channel  \n Steep valley sides  \n Narrow channel  \n Low velocity  \n Large bedload  \n Rough channel bed  \n High levels of friction  \n Vertical erosion  \nUpper course cross-section  \n Middle course characteristics:  \n Deeper than upper course channel  \n Gentle valley sides  \n Wider than upper course channel  \n Greater velocity than upper course channel  \n Material in river decreases in size  \n Smoother channel bed  \n Lower levels of friction than upper course channel  \n Lateral erosion  \nMiddle course cross-section  \n Lower course characteristics:  \n Deeper than middle course channel  \n Flat floodplains  \n Wider than middle course channel  \n Greater velocity than the middle course channel (apart from asthe river enters the mouth)  \n Material carried mainly sediment and alluvium  \n Smooth channel bed  \n Lowest friction  \n Deposition is dominant  \nLower course cross-section  \nExaminer Tipsand Tricks  \nRemember, valley shape and river shape are not the same thing. If you are asked to describe a valley shape, you should focus on the gradient and shape of the land on either side of the river channel.  \nWorked Example  \nStudy Figure 1 , a diagram showing the long and cross profilesofa typical river and its valley.  \nDescribe how the cross profile of the river valley changes downstream.  \n[2 marks]  \nValley slopes decrease in angle. [1 mark] The valley widens/broadens. [1 mark]  \nMarking guidance  \n This answer does not need any explanation ofwhythe cross profile changes.  \n The question can either be answered as two separate points or as one point which is developed.  \nCommon errors  \nDescriptions ofthe river channel will be awarded no marks because the question refers to the river valley.  \nAlternative content  \nThe answer above is just one example of a response to this question. Other information that could be used in the answer includes:  \n Valley sides decrease in height.  \n The valley floor becomes wider.  \n The valley widens and a narrow floodplain develops, eventually becoming a wide floodplain with levees/embankments.  \n Near the source the valley is steep-sided but by the middle stage the valley floor is wider with gentler sides/bluffs.  \nRiver erosional processes  \n Erosion is the wearing away of surfaces  \n There are four erosion processes ","cbCaidiCEe6MiIV4","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidiCEe6MiIV4","pdf",5062308,1,32,"English","en",105,"# Changing River Shape\n## River long profile\n## River cross profiles\n# River erosional processes\n## Vertical vs lateral erosion\n# River transportation\n## Traction, saltation, suspension, solution\n# River deposition\n## Causes and sediment types\n# Fluvial Landforms\n## Examiner tips and tricks\n## Worked examples","[{\"question\":\"How does a river valley cross profile change downstream?\",\"answer\":\"Downstream, valley slopes decrease in angle and the valley widens/broadens. The example also notes wider valley floors and gentler sides as stages progress.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the key fluvial erosion processes and how do they differ by river course?\",\"answer\":\"Erosion processes include hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, and corrosion (solution). Vertical erosion dominates the upper course, while lateral erosion dominates the middle and lower courses.\"},{\"question\":\"Which transportation process is used to transport sediment and how is it tested in the worked example?\",\"answer\":\"Traction transports sediment and is the correct choice in the example. The notes contrast it with abrasion as erosion, deposition as dropping material, and hydraulic action as erosion due to water force.\"}]","AQA GCSE Geography - River Landscapes in the UK - Your notes | PDF",1788603127,81,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":85,"head_meta":87,"extra_data":89,"updated_unix":28},"aqa-gcse-geography-river-landscapes-in-the-uk-your-notes","",{"@graph":36,"@context":84},[37,53,67],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,51],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":11},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/aqa-gcse-geography-river-landscapes-in-the-uk-your-notes/208248/",{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":54,"author":55,"headline":13,"publisher":57,"fileFormat":60,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":61,"datePublished":61,"encodingFormat":60,"isAccessibleForFree":62,"interactionStatistic":63},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":56},"Person",{"url":41,"name":58,"@type":59},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-05",true,{"@type":64,"interactionType":65,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":66},"ViewAction",{"@type":68,"mainEntity":69},"FAQPage",[70,76,80],{"name":71,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":73},"How does a river valley cross profile change downstream?","Question",{"text":74,"@type":75},"Downstream, valley slopes decrease in angle and the valley widens/broadens. The example also notes wider valley floors and gentler sides as stages progress.","Answer",{"name":77,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":78},"What are the key fluvial erosion processes and how do they differ by river course?",{"text":79,"@type":75},"Erosion processes include hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, and corrosion (solution). Vertical erosion dominates the upper course, while lateral erosion dominates the middle and lower courses.",{"name":81,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":82},"Which transportation process is used to transport sediment and how is it tested in the worked example?",{"text":83,"@type":75},"Traction transports sediment and is the correct choice in the example. The notes contrast it with abrasion as erosion, deposition as dropping material, and hydraulic action as erosion due to water force.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":52,"og:type":86,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":58,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":88,"canonical":52},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":24},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":91},[92,96,100,103,108,113,118,123,128,131,135],{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":47,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},70,"exam",{"id":104,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":109,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":114,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":127},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":126,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":130},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":132,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":133,"show_sort_weight":132,"slug":134},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":136,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":137,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":138},19,"General","general"]