The forces of plate tectonics that we have talked about are responsible for creating our mountains at the subduction zones and the new lands at the spreading boundaries.

So what happens next?

Next, all of these features become subjected to the torture that is our earth’s atmosphere! The powers of Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition act upon these new lands to wear them down and create new landforms!

Weathering is defined as the “break down of rocks at the earth’s surface”.

Weathering is any chemical (Acid Rain) or physical (Frost Wedging) breaking down of rocks and land on the earth’s surface. It breaks down land using wind, rain, snow, ice, sand, sun, and gravity until nothing is left but flat land.

Dissolved Limestone

Erosion is defined as the “transportation of weathered materials on the earth’s surface”.

Erosion occurs as the rocks are broken down by weathering they can then be moved down the mountains. They may be moved by ice, wind, gravity, rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. A lot of energy is needed to move large pieces but as they get weathered more, they become easier to move.

Deposition is defined as the “depositing of eroded materials to create new land forms ”.

Deposition occurs as the eroded materials become deposited in new areas, creating new land forms. These materials will stop moving when whatever is eroding them loses the energy to keep the material moving. Large boulders can only be moved a short distance before stopping (after rolling down a cliff) while silt can be carried out into the ocean before it settles!