Final answer:
Meanders and oxbow lakes are formed through the process of erosion and deposition in a river system. Oxbow lakes are created when a meander becomes too severe and the river cuts through the neck of the loop. They are a natural result of the meandering process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Meanders and oxbow lakes are formed through the process of erosion and deposition in a river system. Meanders occur when a river curves and bends in its course. The outer bank of the curve is eroded by the faster-moving water, while the inner bank is deposited with sediment.
Over time, the erosion on the outer curve causes the meander to become more pronounced, while sediment deposition on the inner curve forms a loop-like structure called an oxbow lake. Eventually, the meander may become so severe that the river cuts through the neck of the loop, forming a new, straighter channel and leaving behind a crescent-shaped oxbow lake.
The relationship between meanders and oxbow lakes is that oxbow lakes are formed by the meandering process. They are a natural result of the erosion and deposition that occurs in meandering rivers.s and