O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/13 · Oct/Nov 2012 · Q325 Marks

Section B Answer one question from this section. (a) Study Fig. 4, a graph which shows information about river velocity and river processes. [Figure 3.1] (b) Study Photograph D (Insert) which shows a river meander.

(a)(i)What is meant by a river's velocity?[1]
(a)(ii)Which river process will occur when: • the river bed is sand and the velocity is 100 centimetres per second; • the river bed is gravel and the velocity is 1 centimetre per second?[2]
(a)(iii)Name three processes by which a river is likely to carry out erosion.[3]
(a)(iv)Explain how a river's load is transported by saltation, solution, suspension and traction. Saltation Solution Suspension Traction[4]
(b)(i)Describe the features of this meander.[3]
(b)(ii)Explain how river processes have created this landform.[5]
(c)For a named area which you have studied, describe the impacts of river flooding. Name of area ................................................................[7]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2012). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (a) (i) Speed (of flow of the river)
[2] (a) (ii) A. particles eroded/erosion/saltation/suspension/particles transported/transport/attrition/hydraulic action/abrasion; B. particles deposited/deposition/particles dropped; 2 @ 1 mark
[3] (a) (iii) Hydraulic action; corrasion/abrasion; corrosion attrition. 3 @ 1 mark
[4] (a) (iv) Materials being picked up by water and bounced along the bed/series of hops (Saltation); Materials dissolved in the water (Solution)/chemicals destroy/dissolve materials; Materials carried within the water (Suspension)/without touching river bed/floats within the water; Materials being pushed/rolled along bed (traction); 4 @ 1 mark
[3] (b) (i) Features should be evident from photographic evidence. Ideas such as: steep outer bank/river cliff; gentle inner bank/slip off slope/river beach; deep water on outside; shallow water on inside; deposited materials/pebbles on inside; cliff bank is eroded; etc 3 @ 1 mark
[5] (b) (ii) Ideas such as: Water flows quickly round outer bend; Lateral erosion; Erodes outer banks/bed; Deepens channel; Undercuts bank; Collapse of bank to produce steep slope (dev); Water flows slowly round inner bend; Loses energy and deposits load (dev); Creates slip off slope (dev); etc 5 @ 1 mark or development
[7] (c) Levels marking Level 1 (1–3 marks) Statements including limited detail describing the impacts of a river flood. Level 2 (4–6 marks) Uses named example More developed statements describing the impacts of a river flood. Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example (eg Limpopo in Mozambique). Comprehensive and accurate statements describing the impacts of a river flood, including some place specific reference. Candidates may refer to ideas such as: Deaths Housing Farmland Food Services Soil Fertility Transport etc. Place specific detail can include names of features/areas/date/statistics within the selected case study.