The river erodes the landscape using many processes.
The fast moving water breaks and wears away material from the bed and banks of the river. This is known as hydraulic action.
The material that is now being carried along by the river is called its load. The load is thrown against the bed and banks of the river and wears them down. This process is known as abrasion.
The load itself is broken down even more as particles bounce off one another and become smooth and rounded. Attrition is the name of this process.
The water can dissolve some of the minerals, such as limestone on the river bed and banks. This is known as solution.
