Difference Between Weathering And Erosion

What Is Weathering?

Weathering describes the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on the surface of Earth. Water, ice, acids, salts, plants, animals and changes in temperature are all agents of weathering. Weathering and erosion constantly change the way the rocky landscape of Earth. No rock on Earth is hard enough to resist the forces of weathering and erosion. Weathering wears away exposed surfaces over time. The length of exposure often contributes to how vulnerable a rock is to weathering. Rocks, such as lavas, that are quickly buried beneath other rocks are less vulnerable to weathering and erosion than rocks that are exposed to agents such as wind and water.

There are three Types of weathering:

1. Biological weathering, which takes place when plant roots grow into rocks and crack or break the rock into smaller piece.
2. Chemical weathering, which occurs when water from rainfall or running water oxygenates rock minerals or dissolve them completely leaving gaps that make the rock weak and crack.
3. Physical weathering, which is weathering caused by plants, microorganisms and animals. Plant roots can grow into rocks and crack or break the rock into smaller piece. Some animals cause weathering when they bore into rocks for protection either by scraping away the grains or secreting acid to dissolve the rock.

What You Need To Know About Weathering

• Weathering is the decomposition of rocks, soil and minerals by direct contact with the atmosphere.
•  The weathered materials are not displaced.
• The different types of weathering include physical, chemical and biological weathering.
• Weathering is caused due to atmospheric factors like air pressure.

What Is Erosion?

Erosion is the action of displacement that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth’s crust and then transports it to another location.  Depending on the type of force, erosion can happen quickly or take thousands of years. Wind, water, ice and human activities are some of the major causes of erosion. Erosion is distinct from weathering which involves no movement. Erosion transports pieces of rocks and usually settles them in lower altitude areas, near river mouths or by the seas. The process of erosion has four major stages:

1. Deposition, which means where the particles.
2. Transportation through one of the forces of nature.
3. Entrainment, where the rock sediments mix with water, air or melting ice.
4. Detachment, where the rocks break into small particles.  

What You Need To Know About Weathering

• Erosion is the displacement of solids by wind, water and ice.
• The eroded materials are displaced.
• The different types of erosion are water, wind, ice, thermal and gravity erosion.
• Wind, water, ice and human activities are some of the major causes of erosion.

Also Read: Difference Between Physical And Chemical Weathering

Difference Between Weathering And Erosion In Tabular Form