How Does A Waterfall Form?

A river flows above a layer of soft and hard rock. The hard rock is actually above the soft rock. As the river flows, it erodes away the soft rock, slowly. Continual erosion causes part of the soft rock to erode away. As there is no support for the hard rock from the soft rock, the hard rock hangs and eventually collapses. The river then plunges from a great height which is called a waterfall. However, the full formation of the river is not completed yet. Due to the great impact of the river plunging from a great height, a plunge pool is formed at the base of the waterfall. People are not encouraged to swim there though it is refreshing as the currents in that area is very strong that even the greatest swimmer cannot escape and will drown.
- Divya Subramaniam 1E4 2009
St. Margaret's Secondary School

The hard resistant surface rock is left unsupported as the softer ones get eroded more quickly by the river

Waterfalls are formed when water flows over hard rocks and soft rocks ( the hard rocks lies above the soft rocks). The water that flows over the rocks cause the soft rocks to deepen or move further inland while the harder ones remain intact. Because of this, there will be depressions as the softer rocks are less resistant to the force exerted by the running water. Over time, parts of the soft rock will erode and the hard rocks will be suspended in the air, while the softer rocks are pushed further inland. Since the rocks are located on high ground, the water plunges downwards to form a plunge pool.

Block, Cascade , Cataract, Tier, Plunge and segmented waterfalls are some types of waterfalls. The depth of most waterfalls vary. However, they can be quite deep, especially those located near seas and oceans. It is best not to swim in waterfalls as most are quite deep and strong currents are present.

Also, try WWW.WIKIPEDIA.ORG.

Waterfalls are formed due to the erosive activity of the watercourse, flowing over varied layers of rocks that have different rates of erosion. Let's discuss about two consequences of erosion; a watercourse traversing over a soft rock layer will have higher rate of erosion, in comparison to another area with a hard rock layer. Over a period of time, the erosion process further continues to erode the soft rocks, resulting in the steepening of the watercourse beyond the layer of hard rocks.

In such a condition, the soil erosion rate is also accelerated due to steepening effect and increased speed of the watercourse. Eventually, the steepness of the watercourse increases and a stage comes in which the slope becomes almost vertical and/or totally vertical, leading to the formation of waterfalls. The base where the waterfall lands, is called a plunge pool.

Water fall are formed due to nature process
hard rock resist erosion
soft rock wears way and when the soft rock gets eroded the hard rock on-top overhang and then it collapses.

A waterfall is a natural formation which is formed when a water body such as a river breaks the rocks underneath it and causes them to erode. The erosion will then break the elevation of the river causing the river to fall from a height. The elevation keeps breaking as the years go by which makes the waterfall. Ultimately, the soft rock collapses and only the hard rock remains causing the water to fall from a height. There are many different types of waterfalls and all depends upon the flow of the current and the type of the river. Some of the types of waterfalls are block, cascade, tiered, horsetail, plunge and many more.

Waterfalls are usually found in mountain regions or places where the elevation is quite high such as hills, plains etc. Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's highest waterfall at more than 3000 feet.

A waterfall is formed when the shelly soft rocks in a riverbed are eroded. This causes the overlaying "hard rocks to collapse, and the water in the riverbed can no longer flow at it's former speed, but plunges over the collapsing rocks as shown in this waterfall: Http://authspot.com/poetry/a-tale-of-a-melody-without-rhythm-from-the-dunn%e2%80%99s-river-falls/

Well it erodes the softy rock this is called erosion as the soft rock has eroded the hard rock will collapse into the plunge pool then this process will repeat it self

They are made up of an erosion of rock which are made up of different minerals.

How does the water get to the soft rock to erode it in the first place. And surely if the hard rock is continuous (if its just like a normal river). Why does it just end like in a waterfall

A water fall is formed when water falls!
Actually, a waterfall is formed when the water flowing from a river falls  off a cliff. The longest waterfall is Victoria falls on Zambezi river in Africa. The shortest one is in my bathroom.