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What is vertical erosion?
Vertical erosion is when the depth of the river is greater than the width causing erosion to take place on the bed of the river. This is also when lots of water enters the river but not as much is exiting it.
Why does the occupied channel width increase as you get further downstream?
This happens because in the lower course of the river, where the channel is much closer to base level, there is much more lateral erosion taking place and a lot less vertical. In the upper course, more vertical erosion takes place because the river is cutting down in an attempt to reach base level. As the river is reaching its mouth in the lower course, less vertical erosion is needed. Also because the river has a greater velocity downstream, due to more water entering the river from tributaries, there is more kinetic energy for lateral erosion to take place. This leads to more erosion in the form of abrasion, hydraulic action and cavitation which will widen the river channel.
What is the difference between vertical and lateral erosion?
Vertical erosion occurs when the river erodes it's bed, causing the deepening of the bed. Laterial erosion occurs when the river erodes it's banks, causing it's channel to widen.
Why does a river valley become flat in the lower course?
The river valley becomes flat in its lower course due to the levels of erosion occurring in the river itself. In the upper course, the river's energy is used for vertical erosion(downward erosion) in order to get to sea level. That's why you see steep V-shaped valleys or Gorges being formed. However, in the lower course when the river is at sea level, a lot of this erosion becomes lateral(horizontal) which is why you see rivers becoming a lot wider in the lower course. Therefore, because the river is no longer eroding downwards there's no longer a difference in height between it and its valley, so the river valley becomes flat.
What type of erosion is dominant in the upper course of a river?
Hydraulic action takes place in the upper course of a river. This process of erosion is to do with the force of the water against the beds and banks. There is also Abrasion/corrosion which is where the beds and banks are worn down by the river loads. It will throw tiny particles and stones sometimes at high velocity also causing the river to erode.
How does erosion effect Mississippi River?
Erosion effects the Mississippi river by causing collapse in the banks of the river. Erosion also causes the river to change course slightly as the banks change.
What does horizontal or lateral erosion mean?
Lateral or horizontal erosion means erosion taken place on the sides of a footpath or river bank. The opposite if lateral/horizontal erosion is vertical erosion, where erosion is taken place under the river bed or the bottom of a footpath.
What landforms do the upper course of the river have?
V-shaped valleys The river channel - vertical erosion, shallow but a very fast flow Waterfalls Gorges(which are formed by waterfalls) Bedload is also very big and angular.
What is a river process?
what is a river process ? A river process consists of three 1.erosion (in the upper course) 2.transportation(in the middle course) and 3.deposition (in the lower course).
Erosion can cause what feature of a river?
Erosion of the river banks altering the course; deposition of gravel, sand and mud in calmer stretches; obstructing of the river mouth with sand-bars forming in the estuary and inshore.
What changes take place in a river during the three stages of its course?
Erosion, Transportation, Deposition
Where is a waterfall in a river?
Wherever a river suddenly passes from a higher level to a much lower one. At the vertical, or near-vertical, edge of a hill or mountain.
