Work and Energy  Energy is the ability to do work or cause change.  Two Types of Energy: Potential Energy = energy that is stored in an object due to it’s position. ○ Ex. Rock sitting on top of a hill. Kinetic Energy = energy in an object due to it’s motion. ○ Ex. Any thing that is in motion has kinetic energy.

How does this effect water and erosion?  As gravity pulls water down hill, the waters potential energy changes to kinetic energy (kinetic energy can do work, it can cause erosion) The steeper the hill the faster the water can flow. The faster the water flows the more sediment it can carry.

How Water Erodes 1. Mass movement Sediment falls into a river 2. Runoff Washes sediment into the river 3. Erosion Sediment erodes from the bottom or sides of the river 4. Abrasion Wearing away of rock by a grinding action

Erosion and Sediment Load  The power of a river to cause erosion and carry sediment depends on: 1. Slope – how steep the river is 2. Volume of Flow – how much water the river carries 3. Shape of the Stream Bed – how deep and wide the river is.

Factors Effecting Erosion and Deposition 1. If the river flows in a straight line. The water flows fastest near the center of the river Erosion occurs in the center of the river. Deposition occurs along the sides of the river. ○ Where the water is moving slower. 1. If the river flows in a curved path. Water flows fastest along the outside of the curve. ○ Outside of curve erodes away. Water flows slowest along the inside of the curve. ○ Inside of curve sediment is deposited.