Weathering & Erosion Chelsea(5) 1Charity
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Process:Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters. Weathering occurs in situ, or "with no movement", and thus should not be confused with erosion, which involves the movement of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, snow, wind and gravity.

Problems: Weathering can cause a variety of problems for people. Physical (or mechanical) weathering is what's responsible for erosion, the moving of land and the breaking down of larger rocks into smaller rocks. It's partner in crime, chemical weathering, happens by when the entire structures of items and elements changes. Of the two, chemical weathering is probably the more immediate and dangerous to most people.

They both act to 'remove' material such as rocks, soils or minerals either by chemical breakdown or physical movement. Weathering and erosion are two processes that together produce natural marvels. They are accountable for the formation of caves, valleys, sand dunes and other naturally formed structures.

Erosion is displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) usually by the agents of currents such as, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms.

Weathering is the decomposition of rocks, soils and their minerals through direct contact with the Earth's atmosphere.

Process:Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth's surface by natural processes such as wind or water flow, and then transported and deposited in other locations. Thermal erosion is the result of melting and weakening permafrost due to moving water.It can occur both along rivers and at the coast.

Problems: Excessive erosion causes problems such as desertification, decreases in agricultural productivity due to land degradation, sedimentation of waterways, and ecological collapse due to loss of the nutrient rich upper soil layers. Water and wind erosion are now the two primary causes of land degradation; combined, they are responsible for 84% of degraded acreage, making excessive erosion one of the most significant global environmental problems we face today.