Forces That Shape The
Earth

 Natural Disasters
 Plate Tectonics
 Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition
 Surface Water
 Groundwater
Weathering

 Weathering is the breaking down of rock
 Physical: materials or minerals stay the same but may
look different (plant roots, ice wedging, animals
burrowing)
 Chemical: rock changes its minerals (oxidation or
rust, lichen produce acid, carbonic acid makes
caverns)
Erosion

 Erosion is the carrying away of sediment to a new
place
 Forces that move sediment:





Wind
Water (waves, rain)
Gravity
Ice or glaciers
Human effect
Deposition

 Deposition occurs when erosional forces deposit or drop off
material its been carrying
 New land is created using materials from other locations
upstream
 Depositional landforms:
 Delta
 Sand dunes
 Landslide material
 Sandbars
 Alluvial fan