Describe the main features of a mirror meander. Explain, by referring to river processes, how such features have been formed. You may draw a labelled diagram as part of your answer.

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Shuhag Yahya 11MA

Geography Case Study Question

Describe the main features of a mirror meander. Explain, by referring to river processes, how such features have been formed. You may draw a labelled diagram as part of your answer.

There are 3 courses in a river upper middle and lower. In the upper course of a river the water flows extremely fast. This is due to the upper course is often on mountainous areas. Therefore the water is very powerful enough to pick up large pebbles and rocks, which collide in a process called attrition. Along the process the bedrocks which the river flows over gets eroded by the broken fragments of rocks. In the upper course of a river vertical erosion cuts downwards through the rocks. This exposes rocks to weather such as freeze thaw action which breaks down the rocks into smaller particles.

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In the middle course it is a lot different as the river is a lot deeper as there are a lot of tributaries joined. At this point of the course the river has amore energy to erode as there is less water in contact with the bed and banks. In the middle course the river erodes laterally (sideways), this is because the valley is flatter with more gentle slopes. In this part of the river’s route to the sea, the main landform is the meander. Meanders constantly change their shape and position. The side of the meanders have the most amount ...

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