What determines the direction rivers flow?

Answer 1

The course of a river is determined by multiple factors. The strength of the river's current, the frequency (and intensity) of flooding, the composition of the soil in the bed and on the banks of the river, the number (and size) of adjoining rivers, and the influence of human activity, among other factors, contribute to the course that a river will carve out in its onward progression.

Answer 2

A river is a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels. However you can also have a river of lava or of ice.

Answer 3

Many things affect the speed of a river. Gravity has the greatest impact.

Water volume and width also affect river speed. But the greatest thing is gravity. The difference in elevation causes the water to fall. You may not think of water moving in a river as falling, but that is what it is doing. A lake does not move fast at all because there is no noticeable change in the elevation around the edges. Once water gets to a place where the elevation drops, such as a spillway at the end of the lake, the water falls along its path. That is why water seeks its own level or the lowest level.

Roll a ball down a hill or down the stairs. The steeper the grade the faster the ball rolls. It is the same with water. The faster the elevation change the faster the water goes.

If you have a small narrow stream that slowly moves along downhill, and then suddenly the dam bursts up stream, all that water will be confined to a narrow place and it will rush down the stream bed until it levels out.

Answer 4

The continental divide determines which direction the rivers flow. Water seeks to find its way to the sea by the easiest route.

Answer 5

Continental divide

Answer 6

The shape of the land.

Answer 7

Gravity