Transcript Erosion and Weathering

Erosion and Weathering
Erosion
• Erosion is the natural
process of wind, water, or
ice wearing away soil.
• Erosion becomes
dangerous when humans
cause erosion to happen
faster than it should in
nature.
• If erosion becomes
serious enough, it can
damage buildings, crops,
or roads.
Erosion Damages Houses
Erosion is particularly prevalent in coastal areas. Coastal
erosion can cause damage to property by removing the soil
that supports the building. In this example the sand beneath
the house is eroded away until the house crashes.
Erosion Damages Crops
Erosion can also destroy cropland to make it unsuitable for
farming. With nothing to hold the soil down, wind can blow
away the good top soil.
Good Top Soil
Bad Soil
Weathering
• Weathering is the
changing of land by water.
• Weathering often results
in large rocks being
broken down into smaller
rocks or soil.
• Weathering can also
result in canyons and
similar formations formed
by moving water.
Weathering Changes Surfaces
Over time, weathering can change the surface of the land.
Rivers can cut canyons into the land, as seen in the
example below. This process takes a very long time, but
can create places like the Grand Canyon.