Page 280-282 Questions

1. Describe the role that rivers and streams play in the water cycle.
             - They are the number one cause of erosion on Earth and most of the water that falls on Earth usually ends up in a river or stream at some point.
2. What is a river system?
            - A river and all of the little rivers that make it up are known as a river system.
3. Define these terms: discharge, velocity, gradient, and channel.
           - Discharge: The volume of water that passes a certain point in a stream or river in a given amount of time
           - Velocity: The distance that water travels in a given amount of time.
           - Gradient: The slope or incline of an area of land or of a stream
           - Channel: The path that water flows through in a river or stream.
4. Explain how a river's gradient could affect its velocity.
           - If a slope is really steep it can make the water go faster and travel a further distance and if the shape is really squiggly than it would make the water slow down and go a shorter distance than just a straight channel.