What is the Difference between Weathering and Erosion
The shape of the earth’s crust opens many wonders to us. There are many mountains and rocks which look amazing structures without the carving-help of any human being. Similarly, there are different types of materials that are found in different parts of the world. All this happens with two natural processes called weathering and erosion. The outlook of the earth and the similar materials at two different places are the results of weathering and erosion. What they actually are is given below.
Weathering
Weathering is the process in which the solid rocks are broken down into fragments. It is divided into two categories, the physical weathering (also called mechanical weathering) and the chemical weathering. In physical weathering the rocks are defragmented due to either collision, or due to pressure resulted from the erosion and fractures in the rocks. Plants are grown into the fractures and root themselves down so deeply that rocks are torn apart. In chemical weathering, the rain, stream water, or oxygen in the air reacts chemically with the minerals in the rock. This produces new and more stable minerals that can survive in low temperature and pressure.
Erosion
Erosion forms the shape of the earth by moving the fragments of the rocks on low elevations. The movement agents are flowing water, in streams, rivers and oceanic waves, the blowing wind and the moving ice, in form of glaciers. The force of gravity of the earth compels them to move from higher to lower escalations hence minerals move from one place to another shaping the earth.
Weathering vs Erosion
These two natural processes shape the earth to look beautiful but in different ways. Weathering works in two ways, the visible part is the physical weathering which defragments the rocks while the chemical weathering is the chemical reaction of water and oxygen with the minerals inside the rocks and results in creation of new minerals. Erosion on the other hand in the simple process of moving the things found on upper escalations to lower escalation.
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