The area from which a river collects its water. Also called a drainage basin.

The area from which a river collects its water. Also called a drainage basin.

• A. Catchment Area
• B. Continentality
• C. Attrition
• D. Corrosion

Answer: (A)

The area that feeds a river, collecting all the water that drains into it, is known as the catchment area or drainage basin. This region is bounded by high ground called the watershed, which separates where water flows into different rivers. Rainfall within the catchment can become surface runoff or groundwater that eventually makes its way into the river system, so the size and characteristics of the catchment influence river flows, flood risk, and water resources. In other words, everything inside that boundary contributes to the river’s flow, while water outside does not. The other terms don’t fit this idea: continentality relates to climate patterns with distance from the sea, not drainage boundaries; attrition is a erosion process where particles wear down; corrosion is chemical weathering that dissolves minerals.

The area that feeds a river, collecting all the water that drains into it, is known as the catchment area or drainage basin. This region is bounded by high ground called the watershed, which separates where water flows into different rivers. Rainfall within the catchment can become surface runoff or groundwater that eventually makes its way into the river system, so the size and characteristics of the catchment influence river flows, flood risk, and water resources. In other words, everything inside that boundary contributes to the river’s flow, while water outside does not. The other terms don’t fit this idea: continentality relates to climate patterns with distance from the sea, not drainage boundaries; attrition is a erosion process where particles wear down; corrosion is chemical weathering that dissolves minerals.