Agents of Erosion and Mass Movement

Erosion Agent What Happens? Particle

Size
Velocity Landforms and
Examples









Water
Rill Erosion
Removal of soil by water in a small stream
which begins to create small channels



Medium-
small
High Usually on
slopes

Badlands
National Park
Gully Erosion
When surface water has become trapped in
a small stream, and begins to erode
channels in the ground surface



Medium Medium Near water

Farms
Sheet
Erosion
removal of soil in thin layers by the forces of
raindrops and overland flow


Medium Fairly
High
On slopes

Hills
Splash
Erosion
Erosion that happens when raindrops hit
bare soil. The impact breaks up soil so that
individual soil particles are splashed onto
the soil surface
Small Fairly
high
Bare soil

Around houses
Wave
(Shoreline)
Erosion
Eroded sand from shores caused by water



Small Medium Coastline

Hurricanes

Glacial





Glaciers moving large rocks and boulders as
they move themselves






Large Slow Valleys

Northern US

Wind




Wind picking up small particles and carrying
them



Small Medium Dry and windy

Around lakes,
oceans, etc
Anthropogenic




Humans moving rocks and sediment;
purposefully or not purposefully



Depends Depends Any landforms
Construction
work