Erosion

earth science · geology · landforms · weather

Water wears things away. Flowing water like rivers and streams constantly scrapes at soil and rock, picking up tiny pieces and carrying them downstream. Over millions of years, water can carve out entire canyons and valleys.

Wind is a powerful sculptor. Wind blows loose soil and sand across the land, especially in deserts and beaches. This moving sand and dust can smooth down rocks and create amazing sand dunes that shift and change shape.

Glaciers grind and gouge. Huge sheets of ice called glaciers move slowly down mountains, scraping away everything underneath them. They can carve out deep valleys and transport massive rocks across entire continents.

Different types of erosion. Physical erosion breaks rock into pieces that get carried away, while chemical erosion dissolves rock and soil like sugar in water. Both happen everywhere on Earth, just at different speeds.

Erosion shapes landscapes. Mountains, canyons, beaches, and riverbeds all exist because of erosion. Without it, Earth would look completely different, with no valleys, no beaches, and no interesting landforms.