Question

describe a meander and explain why rivers develop them.

Explanation:

A meander is a winding curve or bend in a river. Rivers develop meanders due to the process of erosion and deposition. When a river flows, water on the outer bank of a curve moves faster (causing erosion, forming a river cliff), while water on the inner bank moves slower (causing deposition, forming a slip - off slope). Over time, these processes accentuate the curves, leading to the development of meanders. Also, slight irregularities in the riverbed initially can be amplified by the differential flow of water, starting the meandering process.

Answer:

A meander is a winding curve/bend in a river. Rivers develop meanders as water flows faster on outer river bends (eroding to form river cliffs) and slower on inner bends (depositing to form slip - off slopes); initial bed irregularities are also amplified by differential flow, accentuating curves over time.