Vocabulary
The breaking down of rocks.
Weathering
Weathering can be: A. Mechanical (physical), B. Chemical, or C. Both
C. Both mechanical and chemical
These two natural forces — one that blows and one that flows — are the most common causes of erosion.
Wind and water
This process happens when wind, water, or ice drops the sediment it was carrying, creating new landforms.
Deposition
When a river slows down at the end of its journey, it drops sand and soil to form this triangle‑shaped landform.
Delta
The movement of pieces of rock or soil from one place to another. Most commonly caused by water and wind.
Erosion
Name four causes of weathering.
Water, wind, ice, and plant roots
This type of erosion happens when a river carries away soil and rock from its banks little by little.
Water erosion
The pieces of rock, sand, and soil which are being carried from one location to another are called this.
Sediment
Glaciers can drop rocks and soil they carried as they melt, leaving behind piles which become this new landform.
Moraine
The pieces of broken down rock that are carried away by water and deposited elsewhere.
Sediment
This type of weathering occurs when acid rain falls onto rocks, reacting with the minerals and breaking down the rock structure over time.
Chemical weathering
After a heavy rain, this is what might happen to soil on a bare hillside with no plants to hold it in place.
Landslide, or the soil washes away
Sand dunes in the desert are formed when wind drops sand in new places. This is a result of this process.
Wind deposition
This landform is carved by a river over many years as flowing water wears away rock, creating steep sides and a deep valley.
Canyon
During erosion, the process of pieces of rock and soil being dropped off or deposited in new locations.
Deposition
Water, wind, ice, and root wedging are examples of this type of weathering.
Mechanical (physical)
This type of erosion happens when strong gusts pick up sand or soil and carry it away, often shaping deserts or creating dunes.
Wind erosion
Glaciers can drop rocks and soil they carried as they melt, leaving behind piles called moraines. This is an example of this process.
Glacier deposition
Ocean waves can drop sand along the shore, slowly building this landform that people love to visit in summer.
Beach
A type of physical weathering where plant roots grow into cracks in rocks, causing the cracks to widen, splitting the rock into smaller pieces.
Root wedging
Wind can cause weathering by blowing grains of sand against a rock, which breaks down the rock and changes its shape over time through a process called
Abrasion
Planting grass, adding mulch, or building retaining walls are all ways people can do this.
Slow down or stop erosion
Beaches grow wider when ocean waves leave behind sand. This is an example of this process.
Wave deposition
This landform is created by the accumulation of sand through wind erosion.
Sand dune