How does flow form channels?
Flowing materials (such as air, water, ice, and lava) create paths in response to many factors. The initial flow travels along until it becomes blocked, resulting in the formation of chambers or lakes. Individual flow channels can merge like tributaries joining a river. Continuous flow erodes the walls of a channel creating canyons and allowing access to previously uncarved territory. Sometimes a channel wall collapses into the stream, dramatically altering the flow path. Erosion is a common phenomenon on Earth. It occurs when flow changes speed in response to an obstruction or a bend in the path. Slower-flowing material sustains pressure against a channel wall, working to keep it intact. A swifter flow intensifies the wall’s erosion by reducing that pressure. The interaction of flow and pressure is described by a law of flow dynamics called the Bernoulli Principle, which states that as a moving fluid’s speed increases, its pressure decreases.
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