Erosion & Transport

Erosion is the mechanism by which weathered pieces of rock are moved from the site of weathering.

In order for erosion to occur it requires a transporting agent to carry the rock along. In nature these transporting agents are:

Gravity

Weathered rocks falling under the action of gravity are transported from the site of weathering to a place further away, on route they can erode other rocks they strike. For example weathered rocks falling off a cliff face or mountain or rock being transported during a mudslide.

Wind

Wind can carry small particles of rock, dust and sand over vast distances. When the particles come across other rock features they can cause erosion via there collisions against these features.

 

 

Water

Weathered rocks can be transported vast distance by streams, rivers and oceans. The abrasive action of the transported rock can further erode the river beds and river banks.

Ice

Glaciers can transport weather rocks which become embedded in the ice, these rocks then grind against the rocks beneath the glacier resulting in erosion.

 

The animation below describes erosion through the different transporting agents.

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