Tuesday, 7 May 2013

How meanders are formed (Alevel)

Meanders

Meanders are an erosion and depositional land form.
Meanders for where there are alternating pools(deep water) and riffles (Shallow) develop at equal spaced intervals across a stretch of a river. (Distance between pools is 5x the distance of the river bed)

Due to the channel being deeper in pools the river has more erosive power, whereas a river looses energy at a riffle due to friction between the water and the river bed.

The distance between pools and riffles causes the rivers flow to become uneven and its concentrated on one side.

Turbulence increases around pools as the river has more energy which forms a corkscrew like movement called helicoidal flow- this helicoidal flow deepens pools and causes deposition occur inside the bend where the river looses energy.

Also meanders have an asymmetrical cross section 

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