types of weathering and erosion
Weathering:
1. Mechanical weathering: This involves the physical breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without changing their chemical composition. This can occur through processes such as frost wedging, root wedging, and abrasion.
2. Chemical weathering: This involves the breakdown of rocks through chemical reactions, causing the minerals in the rocks to change composition. This can occur through processes such as oxidation, hydrolysis, and carbonation.
3. Biological weathering: This involves the breakdown of rocks by living organisms, such as plants and animals. For example, tree roots can grow into cracks in rocks, causing them to weaken and break apart.
Erosion:
1. Water erosion: This involves the movement of sediments by water, through processes such as rivers, streams, and ocean currents. Water erosion can cause the formation of valleys, canyons, and deltas.
2. Wind erosion: This involves the movement of sediments by wind, through processes such as deflation and abrasion. Wind erosion can cause the formation of sand dunes and the erosion of rock surfaces.
3. Glacial erosion: This involves the movement of sediments by glaciers, through processes such as plucking and abrasion. Glacial erosion can cause the formation of U-shaped valleys and moraines.
4. Gravity erosion: This involves the movement of sediments downhill, through processes such as landslides, rockfalls, and slumping. Gravity erosion can cause the formation of cliffs and talus slopes.