TYPES OF EROSION

© Copyright 2004 - 2005. M. J. Krech. All rights reserved.

WHAT IS
EROSION
?
Erosion is the movement of weathered rocks
and soil particles from one place to another.
 THERE ARE FIVE AGENTS
OF EROSION.

• GRAVITY
• GLACIERS
• WIND
• WATER
• WAVES
 GRAVITY

EROSION CAUSED BY
GRAVITY IS CALLED

MASS
WASTING.
 RAPID MASS WASTING

One type of rapid

mass wasting is

LANDSLIDE
which is the tumbling
of dry soil and rocks
downhill
 RAPID MASS WASTING

Another type is

MUDFLOW
where rain mixes with
the soil to form mud
which moves
downhill
 RAPID MASS WASTING

Another type is

SLUMP
where a huge
block of rock
slides rapidly
down a hillside.
 SLOW MASS WASTING

One type of slow mass

wasting is

EARTHFLOW
where a mass of soil and
plant life begin to slowly
move downhill after a
heavy rain.
 SLOW MASS WASTING

Another type is

CREEP

where soil particles

move slowly downhill.

This is the slowest.

 GLACIERS

GLACIER
is a large mass of
moving ice and
snow.
 GLACIERS

Glaciers move
rocks by

PLUCKING
where ice freezes
around a rock and
moves it along as the
glacier moves.
 GLACIERS
Glaciers also move rocks
by

ABRASION
where rocks are loosened
and moved by the glacier,
causing scratches on the
bedrock.
 WIND

Wind moves soil by

DEFLATION

where wind removes

loose material from
the land.
Here smaller sand grains are blown
away from around larger rocks.
 WATER

Running water is the

major cause of
erosion.

Water picks up and

carries loose particles
of soil as it moves
downhill.
 WATER

Water starts out

in tiny grooves
called

RILLS
 WATER

Rills become wider

and deeper,

called

GULLIES
 WATER

Gullies turn into

STREAMS

which turn into

RIVERS.
 WAVES

Waves carry off small

rocks and sand from
the beach.
 EROSION

A.
What is the
agent of
erosion in this
picture?
 EROSION

B.

What is the
agent of erosion
in this picture?
 EROSION

C.
What is the
agent of
erosion in
this picture?
 EROSION

D.
What is the
agent of erosion
in this picture?
 EROSION

E.

What is the
agent of
erosion in
this picture?
 THE END

F.
BONUS:
List at least
three types of
erosion in
this picture
and how you
know.
© Copyright 2004 - 2005. M. J. Krech. All rights reserved.