V-shaped valleys are so called because they often have very steep sides.

Down in the V-shaped valley

The infant river is flowing very fast and has a lot of energy. It is carrying lots of different sediment, including rocks, boulders, silt, mud, pebbles and stones. The volume of sediment that a river carries is called its load.

The River Severn is carrying its load in different ways:

1. Flotation
   Materials such trees and branches are carried on the surface of the water.
2. Suspension
   Very small particles are carried in the water
3. Solution
   Very small particles of sediment dissolve in the water
4. Saltation. Small pebbles and rocks bounce along the river bed.
5. Traction. Small pebbles roll along the river bed

Follow this link to see an animation of how V-shaped valleys are formed

Key Vocabulary

Transportation
Transportation is the movement of material eroded by the river (called the load) from one place to another.