weathering
breakdown of rock at or near the earth’s surface into smaller and smaller pieces
mechanical weathering
rock is broken or weakened physically
chemical weathering
alters a rock’s chemical makeup
acid rain
chemicals in polluted air combine with water and fall back to earth (chemical weathering)
erosion
the movement of weathered material such as gravel, soil, and sand
sediment
small particles of soil, sand and gravel
Wind, Water, Glacier
major causes of erosion
loess
windblown deposits of dust and silt
Glacier
huge slow-moving sheets of ice
moraines
ridgelike piles of rock and debris