What are the five geological processes?
The Five Main Geological Processes
Geological processes are natural mechanisms by which the Earth's surface and interior are shaped and changed over time. The five main geological processes are:
- Weathering: The breakdown of rocks and minerals at or near the Earth's surface due to atmospheric conditions, such as wind, rain, temperature changes, and chemical reactions.
- Erosion: The removal and transportation of weathered materials by natural agents like water, wind, ice, or gravity.
- Deposition: The accumulation or laying down of sediment carried by wind, water, or ice, creating new landforms such as deltas, sand dunes, and alluvial fans.
- Plate Tectonics (including tectonic activity): The movement of the Earth's lithospheric plates, leading to processes such as mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
- Mass Wasting (or Mass Movement): The downslope movement of rock, soil, or debris under the influence of gravity, including landslides, rockfalls, and mudflows.
All these processes work together over geological timescales to continually change and shape the Earth's landscape.