Consider the following statements: 1. The work of the river in the lo...
- At higher gradients, downward, vertical erosion is more dominant. This produces V-shaped valleys. As gradients decrease, downward erosion is less dominant, and lateral erosion begins to dominate, forming meanders.
- As the debris or silt is deposited, it reduces the depth available for the water to flow, and thus the bed is raised. Floodplains are created as a result of both erosion and deposition. Material is also deposited on the sides forming raised banks called levees.
Consider the following statements: 1. The work of the river in the lo...
Explanation:
Statement 1: The work of the river in the lower course is mainly erosional rather than depositional due to the volume of water being carried by it.
In the lower course of a river, the volume of water is higher compared to the upper and middle courses. This increased volume of water results in a higher velocity of the river. As the river flows with greater force, it has the ability to erode the landforms in its path. Erosion in the lower course occurs through processes such as hydraulic action (force of water), abrasion (erosion by sediment transported by the river), and attrition (erosion of sediment particles against each other).
Due to the erosional nature of the river in the lower course, it tends to deepen its channel and create features such as meanders, river cliffs, and river terraces. These erosional features are characteristic of the lower course of a river.
Statement 2: When the river flows normally its bed is raised through accumulation of deposits.
This statement is incorrect. When a river flows normally, its bed is not raised through the accumulation of deposits. Instead, deposition occurs in the middle and upper courses of the river where the velocity of the river decreases, and it has less energy to carry sediment. As a result, sediment is deposited along the riverbed and banks, leading to the formation of features such as floodplains, levees, and deltas.
In the lower course, where the velocity is higher, the river has the ability to transport larger sediment particles. Therefore, deposition is limited in this section of the river.
Conclusion:
Based on the explanation above, we can conclude that only statement 2 is correct. The work of the river in the lower course is mainly erosional, and when the river flows normally, its bed is not raised through the accumulation of deposits.