Explain processes of erosion that occur in a river

The first erosional process that occurs in a river is hydralic action, which is where water is forced into cracks in the river bed and channel which compresses trapped air, making the cracks larger which can cause material to chip away and fall off. The next type is abrasion, which occurs when rocks and bedload is carried by the river and wears down the river channel. Attrition is the process of the river bedload smashing into one another which wears down the bedload into smaller pieces. Corrosion is the process of soluable particles in the river being dissolved by acicid substances. 

OS
Answered by Olivia S. Geography tutor

4236 Views

See similar Geography GCSE tutors

Related Geography GCSE answers

All answers ▸

In which way is a supervolcano different from a volcano and what are the likely consequences of a super volcano eruption?


‘Governments are the most important players in regeneration’, to what extent is this true for an example you have studied?


Describe the characteristics of a destructive wave


How do I achieve top marks in longer answer questions? Example- AQA 2015 past paper question


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning