ABSTRACT
The water in river channels moves down slope under the influence of gravity, which causes it to deform and flow. This movement is resisted by frictional forces between the flow and channel boundary, and within the flow itself. In this chapter you will learn about:
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F L O W I N R I V E R C H A N N E L S
Forces driving and resisting the flow of water
A force is anything that moves an object, or causes the speed or direction of a moving object to change. Forces are vector quantities, which means that they have both magnitude (size) and direction. The unit of force is the newton (N), and force magnitude is defined by the mass of the object and the acceleration produced.1
