During valley widening, what happens to the stream's energy?

During valley widening, the stream's energy is directed from side to side as the river erodes the banks and expands laterally. This process occurs as the stream encounters a broader area, allowing it to spread out and begin to meander, leading to a changing flow pattern where the energy is distributed along the width of the valley.

As the stream moves through a wider valley, it has more room to carve out the landscape, resulting in greater lateral erosion and the formation of features like point bars and oxbow lakes. The side-to-side energy distribution indicates that the stream works to dissipate its energy across a larger area rather than focusing its flow straight down the valley, which would occur in a more confined channel.

The other options do not accurately describe the energy dynamics of a stream in a widening valley. The energy is not focused predominantly upward, nor does it decrease significantly overall; rather, the total energy may remain relatively consistent as it reassesses its path. Additionally, the concept of energy being entirely consumed by flooding does not apply to valley widening, as flooding is a result of excess water rather than an inherent characteristic of changing valley dynamics.