Why do rivers meander in curves?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Erosion is faster on outside bends
Erosion is faster on outside bends ✓ — Correct! Even slight curves cause water to flow faster on the outside bend (longer path, more energy), eroding that bank. Inside bends flow slower, depositing sediment. This feedback loop amplifies curves into dramatic meanders! Over time, extreme bends can cut off forming oxbow lakes. It's self-organizing river behavior!
Animals create winding paths — Wrong. Animals don't create river curves. Meandering is a physical process from unequal erosion and deposition at bends.
Wind pushes water sideways — Wrong. Wind doesn't control river paths. Meandering results from water flow dynamics—faster flow eroding outside bends, slower flow depositing inside.
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