Explain the ways in which weathered materials are moved

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Weathering is the physical or mechanical breakdown of rocks. Once the rocks is weathered, or broken down into smaller pieces, the materials may be carried from one place to another. Gravity is the most common way materials moves downhill. We can differentiate two ways in which it happens; either by mass movement or by surface erosion.

In mass movement, rocks roll, slide, or freefall downhill under the steady pull of gravity. In surface erosion, water, ice or wind carries solid rock particles with it downhill under the force of gravity. Material moves faster down steeper hills than down gentler ones. Wherever slopes occur, gravity is available to move material. Even the gentlest slope provides the potential energy necessary to move at least some material downward. Erosion is usually much more rapid, however, on steep slopes of land than on gentle slopes.