37: Project - The effect of sediment type on the speed of a river

Read through the sheet below. It tells you what you need to write in your project.

1) Introduction
You should say which river you studied, and the date of your visit. Say where this river is found. Explain what you are trying to find out.

2) Method
List all the equipment used for the time experiment. Write a detailed explanation of how you carried out this experiment.

List all the equipment used for the sediment experiment. Write a detailed explanation of what you did for this experiment.

3) Results
Draw a neat copy of your two site diagrams. Remember to label the left bank and the right bank. Mark on your site diagram any evidence of erosion and deposition. Say what sediment is deposited and what type of erosion is seen. Also mark on your site diagram any other interesting features. Draw a red arrow -----> to show the fastest flow of water at each site (use your tables for this).

Make a neat copy of the two tables.

Now answer these questions for Site 1, writing full sentences. Write your answers in a paragraph with the subheading Site 1:

What was the sediment at the left bank? 

What was the sediment at the right bank? 

What was the sediment in midstream? 

How long did it take the cork to travel 2 metres at the left bank?

How long did it take the cork to travel 2 metres at the right bank?

How long did it take the cork to travel 2 metres in midstream?

Where did the water flow the fastest?

Where did the water flow the slowest?

Now answer the same questions for Site 2. Write your answers in a paragraph with the subheading Site 2.

4) Conclusions

Answer these questions using full sentences. Write your answers in a paragraph:

At Site 1, where was the water flowing fastest? What was the sediment type?

At Site 1, where was the water flowing the slowest? What was the sediment type?

At Site 2, where was the water flowing the fastest? What was the sediment type?

At Site 2, where was the water flowing the slowest? What was the sediment type?

At which site did the river travel the fastest? What was the sediment type?

At which site did the river travel the slowest? What was the sediment type?

Now copy and complete these paragraphs:

The river generally travelled the fastest at Site ___ where the sediment type was ______________. This happened because there was less friction between the water and the sediment.

The fastest flow of water was found at the ________     __________ at this site.

The river generally travelled the slowest at Site ___ where the sediment type was ______________. This happened because there was more friction between the water and the sediment.

The slowest flow of water was found at the _________   ___________ at this site.

Where rivers travel the _____________, the sediment type is usually ______________. Where rivers travel the _____________, the sediment type is usually ___________.

5) Front Cover

Your cover needs to have the title, your name(s) and a picture.