There are numerous types of landforms; we'll be starting with the erosional because they make up the majority of "land." Erosional landforms include headlands, bays, caves, arches, stacks, stumps and wave-cut platforms. There are also depositional landforms such as beaches, spits and bars. ...

Water flows over the land surface in much the same way as it flows over a carpet, following paths of least resistance. The difference is that water slowly erodes the land where the flow is concentrated. Overland flow tends to be concentrated along roads, railway banks and contours. Depending ...

Water is one of the most destructive agents in nature. It flows almost everywhere over the land surface, leaving its mark by eroding solids, dissolving minerals, and picking up debris. This running water dissolves rock, picks up soil particles, and carries them downstream as suspended load. ...

Soil development is the major way in which soil changes with time, but there are other changes that can take place over time. Erosion, forest clearing, and forest succession would be some examples of other ways in which soil could change over time. These processes would all cause a depletion in ...

There are various factors that influence the formation of soils. For example, the parent material's role as a basis for soil formation can be discussed as one of the soil forming factors as it is one of the most important factors in the ecological system. Parent material, which consists of ...

Soil forms continuously, but slowly, from the gradual breakdown of rocks through weathering. Soil can be formed in a number of different ways including chemical or physical means which often take place simultaneously. Weathering can be a physical, chemical or biological process: Physical ...

The deposition of sediment is the natural process by which particles of solid material are transported by wind, water and ice and deposited in a new place. The term deposition can also apply to minerals and salts dissolved in water and carried to places they were not previously present or ...

Erosion is a natural process in which Earth’s surface is worn away by the elements. Rainfall is the major erosive force on Earth’s land surfaces, causing rivers to erode valleys, transport sediment and reshape the landscape, but wind is also an important driver of erosion. The work of the other ...

Landslides are among the most common types of geologic hazards. A landslide is an event in which a mass of rock, soil and/or debris moves down a slope. The velocity at which the landslide travels is dependent on the cohesion between the grains or particles that make up the landslide (cohesion ...

Mass movements are typically associated with the greatest loss of life, whether natural or man-made. These movements of mineral material are often composed of rock fragments ranging from mud to boulders, however not all types of mass movements are necessarily composed of rock. That means, ...

Weathering processes are geologic processes that break down rocks, minerals and soils into smaller fragments. Weathering is the process in the cycle of erosion or 'spreading' of sediments or rocks. It is the opposite of deposition with respect to solid–liquid equilibrium. Weathering is most ...

Biological activity is primarily responsible for the water-transfer processes involved in rock and soil erosion and sedimentation. It is also involved in many of the chemical reactions contributing to weathering and erosion, although less conspicuously than physical and chemical agents. Only a ...