Earth Systems

the general terms for the movement of sediment by wind, water, glaciers

• weathering

• erosion

• deposition

the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces of the same rock without any change in its composition

• mechanical weathering
• chemical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

the process by which layers or sheets of rock gradually break off

• exfoliation
• abrasion
• erosion
• deposition

the breakdown or decomposition of rock that takes place when minerals change through chemical processes

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

the process in which sediment particles are picked up and moved from one place to another

• mechanical weathering
• chemical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

the part of the erosion process in which sediment travels to a new location and is laid down or dropped off

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

Roots grow into cracks of a rock and pry them apart

• mechanical weathering
• chemical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

oxidation produces rust on some rocks containing iron

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

rock is broken by the freezing and thawing of ice

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• erosion
• deposition

fossil fuels react with water producing acid rain that wears minerals away in the rock

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• erosion
• deposition