What is the source? What is the meaning of this word? In what sciences and spheres of human life is it used? We will try to answer all these questions in our article.
What is the source? Meaning and use of the word
There are a huge number of words that are used immediately in several meanings. "Source" is one such word. In what areas of human activity do they use it? And what is the source?
In general, the interpretation of this word is as follows: the source is the beginning of something. In this sense, it can be found in many different phrases. For example: “the sources of ancient Greek culture”, “folk sources”, “sources of spirituality”, “sources of life”, etc.
In addition, this term is used in three scientific disciplines:
- in hydrology (as the place where the natural watercourse began);
- in physics (as one of the electrodes of a field effect transistor);
- in hydrodynamics (as a point of a force line with positive divergence).
The word "source" has many synonyms: source, source, reason, source, spring, outflow and others.
The source of the river is ... Interesting facts about the source of the river
Any river of the planet, as you know, flows from top to bottom. And any rivulet, even the smallest, has its beginning and its end.
So what is the source in hydrology and geography? This is the place where any natural watercourse (river or stream) begins. Different geographical features can act as a river source. It can be a spring, thermal spring, glacier, lake or swamp. Quite often, the source is the confluence of two smaller rivers.
Sometimes it is quite difficult to determine the source of a river (due to the large number of “applicants” for this title). In this case, it is determined by two main criteria:
1) choose the most high-water source;
2) choose the source that is the most distant from the mouth of the river.
Our nature is incredibly bizarre and diverse. And she does not cease to amaze us. So, sometimes it swaps the source and mouth in the same river! A striking example is the modest rivulet Rosson, connecting Luga and Narva. When the water level in the Meadow rises, Rossony flows in one direction. And when he rises in Narva, then it radically changes its direction.
It also happens that the sources of completely different watercourses are located very close to each other. Another quirk of Mother Nature! For example, rivers such as the Dnieper, Volga, and Western Dvina are born within the same Valdai Upland. But they all carry their waters to completely different seas.
The origins of the largest rivers of Russia
The origins of many large rivers very often become popular attractions. In such places, as a rule, small monuments or information signs are erected, places for recreation are arranged. Tourists and travelers willingly come here. This tradition is also popular within Russia (in the photo below - the source of the Volga River).
The table below shows the location of the sources of the ten largest and most famous rivers in Russia in case our reader wishes to visit one of these symbolic and iconic places.
River name | Where does the river flow | Source Geographic Address | Source height (in meters) |
Ob | Kara Sea | 52º 25 '56 "N 84º 59' 07" E | 160 |
Amur | Sea of Okhotsk | 53º 20 '00 "N 121º 28' 53" E | 304 |
Lena | Laptev sea | 53º 56 '00 "north latitude 108º 05' 01" east | 1465 |
Yenisei | Kara Sea | 51º 43 '40 "N 94º 27' 06" E | 620 |
Volga | Caspian Sea | 57º 15 '04 "N 32º 28' 04" E | 228 |
Irtysh | river Ob | 47º 24 '52 "N 90º 12' 55" E | 2803 |
Lower Tunguska | Yenisei River | 58º 02 '42 "N 105º 40' 39" E | 543 |
Ural | Caspian Sea | 54º 42 '03 "N 59º 25' 02" E | 668 |
Don | Sea of Azov | 54º 00 '44 "N 38º 16' 40" E | 181 |
Pechora | Barents Sea | 62º 12 '06 "N 59º 25' 55" E | 630 |
Thus, we found out what the source is, examined the meaning and use of the word.