Weathering refers to the physical breakup and chemical decay of rocks on Earth’s surface. Erosion involves transporting these loose rock fragments and alteration products.
Water, wind, ice and gravity are the four natural forces responsible for erosion. When these agents lose kinetic energy and begin depositing particles as sediments they form in response to this loss of kinetic energy and eventually produce sediments as deposits.
Weathering
Weathering refers to the breakdown of rocks and minerals on Earth’s surface caused by elements such as water, ice, wind, gravity and other natural forces such as precipitation. It differs from erosion by which broken rock fragments travel downhill while deposition involves depositing them elsewhere.
Physical weathering refers to the process of breaking down rocks by means of cold temperatures and rainwater, in order to make rough or sharp rocks smooth while widening cracks and allowing water to enter, expanding them further apart and further breaking them apart – this process is also known as mechanical or physical weathering.
Chemical weathering does not break down rocks but instead alters their composition via carbonation, hydration or oxidation; making the rocks more vulnerable to erosion.
Organic or biological weathering refers to weathering processes triggered by living things, specifically animals such as rabbits that dig or tramp on rocks and plants that grow into cracks in them. Both mechanisms contribute to disintegrating rocks.
Erosion
Erosion is the process of moving rock fragments, soil particles and dissolved materials from one place to another by physical or chemical means. Physical weathering involves breaking apart rocks through everyday heating and cooling cycles, frost or crystal wedging or collision during movement; physical erosion alters rock shapes while creating clastic sediments like those seen at beaches or ravines.
Erosion can take millions or billions of years to erode a canyon, but can also happen quickly and present serious threats in certain regions where erosion threatens food supplies or pollutes water supplies.
Erosion rate depends on various factors, including climate, topography (the shape of a landscape), vegetation and tectonic activity. Gravity also plays a factor; particles tend to migrate downhill due to gravity’s force; this accelerates both erosion and deposition processes and forms new landforms such as mountains or valleys through erosion.
Deposition
Deposition, the process by which materials accumulate, is known geologically as deposition. Deposition is the geological term for adding rocks, sediments and soil to an existing landform or mass through various geological forces like wind, water, ice and gravity; previously eroded materials may also be transported here through these channels until their kinetic energy is exhausted; once that happens sediment deposition takes place. Deposition can often be seen at coastlines as beach sand builds up or river waters flow over it and create gorges through their flow over this depositional layer;
Erosion smoothens rough rock surfaces and can even alter their chemical makeup, transporting particles from one place to the next and depositing them downhill in forms such as sand, pebbles or silt.
Erosion is an integral component of the rock cycle; without it, no new rocks would form. Plants play an important role in mitigating erosion by covering soil with their leaves and protecting against further wear-and-tear. We must protect these natural resources that work to mitigate erosion.
Causes
Weathering erosion and deposition are caused by four forces: water, wind, glaciers (ice sheets) and gravity. They work in unison to continuously wear away at and build up Earth’s surface and landforms.
Water is the principal factor behind both mechanical and chemical weathering processes. It erodes rocks by repeatedly freezing and thawing, chemically dissolving individual atoms at once and physically breaking apart rock into smaller bits – no rock can stand against these processes, which have left their mark by carving grand canyons like Arizona’s Grand Canyon as well as creating sandy beaches.
Human activities can hasten the natural process of weathering. For instance, burning coal, oil and gas creates chemicals which combine with sunlight and moisture to form acids in raindrops, rapidly weathering limestone, marble and other types of stone quickly while damaging gravestones with difficult-to-read names and creating acid rain that prohibits plants from growing properly and kills fish populations.