Definition:
Agents of erosion are natural forces that remove or transport soil, rock, or sediment from one location to another. Agents of deposition, on the other hand, are natural forces that deposit or lay down soil, rock, or sediment in a new location.
Types of Agents of Erosion:
- Water: Water is a powerful agent of erosion, as it can carry sediment and carve out features in the landscape through processes such as river erosion, coastal erosion, and groundwater erosion.
- Wind: Wind can transport and deposit fine particles of sediment, leading to processes such as deflation and abrasion.
- Ice (Glaciers): Glaciers can erode and transport large amounts of sediment as they move, shaping the land through processes like plucking and abrasion.
- Gravity: Gravity causes mass movement, such as landslides and rockfalls, which can transport large amounts of rock and sediment downhill.
- Water: Rivers, lakes, and oceans are major agents of deposition, as they can deposit sediment carried by water through processes like sedimentation and delta formation.
- Wind: Wind can deposit sediment in new locations, forming features like sand dunes and loess deposits.
- Ice (Glaciers): As glaciers melt, they deposit the sediment they have carried, creating landforms such as moraines and drumlins.
- Gravity: Mass movement caused by gravity can deposit sediment at the base of slopes or at the bottom of cliffs.
Study Guide:
When studying agents of erosion and deposition, it's important to understand the processes involved and the landforms they create. Here are some key points to focus on: