TYPES OF EROSION © Copyright 2004 - 2005.  M. J. Krech. All rights reserved.

WHAT IS EROSION?

Erosion is the movement of weathered rocks and soil particles from one place to another.

THERE ARE FIVE AGENTS OF EROSION. GRAVITY GLACIERS WIND WATER WAVES

GRAVITY EROSION CAUSED BY GRAVITY IS CALLED MASS WASTING.

RAPID MASS WASTING LANDSLIDE One type of rapid mass wasting is which is the tumbling of dry soil and rocks downhill

RAPID MASS WASTING MUDFLOW Another type is where rain mixes with the soil to form mud which moves downhill

RAPID MASS WASTING SLUMP Another type is where a huge block of rock slides rapidly down a hillside.

SLOW MASS WASTING One type of slow mass wasting is EARTHFLOW where a mass of soil and plant life begin to slowly move downhill after a heavy rain.

SLOW MASS WASTING Another type is CREEP where soil particles move slowly downhill. This is the slowest.

GLACIERS A GLACIER is a large mass of moving ice and snow.

GLACIERS PLUCKING Glaciers move rocks by where ice freezes around a rock and moves it along as the glacier moves.

GLACIERS Glaciers also move rocks by ABRASION where rocks are loosened and moved by the glacier, causing scratches on the bedrock.

WIND Wind moves soil by DEFLATION where wind removes loose material from the land. Here smaller sand grains are blown away from around larger rocks.

WATER Running water is the major cause of erosion. Water picks up and carries loose particles of soil as it moves downhill.

WATER Water starts out in tiny grooves called RILLS

WATER Rills become wider and deeper, called GULLIES

WATER Gullies turn into STREAMS which turn into RIVERS.

WAVES Waves carry off small rocks and sand from the beach.

EROSION A. What is the agent of erosion in this picture?

EROSION B. What is the agent of erosion in this picture?

EROSION C. What is the agent of erosion in this picture?

EROSION D. What is the agent of erosion in this picture?

EROSION E. What is the agent of erosion in this picture?

THE END F. BONUS: List at least three types of erosion in this picture and how you know. © Copyright 2004 - 2005.  M. J. Krech. All rights reserved.