1. Weathering and Erosion
Chapter 5

2. Gravity
Agents of Erosion are mostly caused by Gravity.

3. Streams/Rivers Erodes sediment upstream. Carries it along the stream.
Can be “deposited” many times, or carried the entire way.
This rounds out the pieces of sediment.
Young rivers move quickly, and cut INTO the bedrock.
Called downcutting.

6. Rivers In plains, the rivers will create meanders.
As it approaches the end, it slows down. It heads toward the ocean.
Slows down, and loses energy, so it drops the sediment.
Creates deltas.

9. Glaciers Move due to gravity. Can cut grooves into bedrock.
Depositional landforms formed by glaciers:
Moraines, till, drumlins, outwash plains, stratified drift, and kettles.
Till – sediment specifically from glaciers

10. Till

11. Moraine

12. Kettles

13. Outwash plains

14. Ocean Waves Erodes rock by hitting it over and over again.
Beach is formed from deposition.
If waves approach at an angle, it can create a longshore current. Sediment will be dropped parallel to the shore.
This process is called longshore drift
Spits and barrier islands will result.

15. Spits

16. Barrier Islands

17. Wind Erosion- Yardangs

18. Wind Erosion - Dunes

19. Mass Wasting Earth materials moving downhill. Gravity causes this.
Some move quickly. Others slowly
Some dry and some wet.
Mudslides, rockfalls, avalanches, soil creep

20. Mass Wasting

21. Mudslide

22. Soil Creep

23. Landforms

24. Coastlines Forms boundaries between land and large body of water.
Formed by: deposition of sand or silt, but can be eroded away as well. Along stable coastlines, deposition and erosion happen at a steady pace.

25. Dunes
Hill of sand built up by deposition by wind or water.

26. Mountains
Formed by two tectonic plates colliding with one another (generally)
Also by lava building up.

27. Glaciers Large body of snow and ice
Forms on land and does not melt each year.
Snow is compacted into ice, gets larger and heavier.
DIGS into earths surface as it moves.

28. Delta Formed at the mouth of the river.
Deposition of sediment as the energy slows down.

29. Lakes Relatively still body of water that is somewhat large.
Usually fresh water – especially when next to landforms that carry snow or glaciers.

30. Peninsula
Surrounded by water on three sides.

31. Isthmuses
Narrow strip of land connecting two other bodies of land. North America and South America are connected by Panama.

32. Canyon
Deep channels worn into the ground by running water.

33. Plateaus
High, flat regions of land often have steep sides.

34. Plains Large flat areas.
Formed by rivers that change course or flood frequently, wearing away taller land features.