Alluvium
What Alluvium means in Geography GCSE, as defined for AQA, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Alluvium
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Alluvium in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
The sediment deposited on a flood plain, laid down in successive layers during floods.
Fine, fertile soil (silt and clay) deposited by a river during a flood.
Fine sediment (silt and clay) deposited by a river during a flood.
Topics that use Alluvium
- River landscapes in the UK (AQA GCSE)
- A variety of physical processes interact to shape river landscapes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Erosion and deposition interacting with geology create distinctive landforms in river landscapes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Hydraulic action
- Lag Time
- Lateral erosion
- Vertical erosion
- Abrasion
- Attrition
- Channel straightening
- Dams and reservoirs
Using Alluvium in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
Practise Geography questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge