Question

Which one of the following is formed due to river meandering?

• A. Bog
• B. Peat
• C. Ox-bow lakes
• D. Salt marsh

Hint:

Meandering = Winding curves.
When a curve is cut off from the main river flow, it forms an "Ox-bow lake", named after its distinct U-shaped collar shape.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Rivers dynamically shape the landscape through continuous processes of erosion and deposition.
Meandering refers to the winding, S-shaped curves formed by a river as it flows through a relatively flat valley.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
As a river meanders across a flood plain, water flows faster on the outer edge of a bend, causing lateral erosion.
At the same time, water moves slower on the inner edge of the bend, depositing sediment.
Over time, this continuous erosion and deposition cause the meander loops to become tighter and highly exaggerated.
During a flood, the river takes the path of least resistance, cutting through the narrow neck of the loop to establish a straight course.
As the floodwaters recede, sediment is deposited at the entrance and exit of the abandoned loop, sealing it off from the main river channel.
This isolated, crescent-shaped body of standing water is known as an ox-bow lake.
Bogs and Peat are acidic, waterlogged wetlands formed by the accumulation of partially decayed organic matter.
Salt marshes are coastal wetlands flooded and drained by salt water brought in by tides.
Therefore, ox-bow lakes are the geological features formed due to river meandering.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Ox-bow lakes are formed due to river meandering.