Module 8: Weathering, Erosion, and Groundwater

Sandcastles are doomed for destruction. Even sand sculptors using glue, shellac, and other liquid adhesives to hold together their creations know that their work will eventually be washed away by the waves. Forces at the surface of the Earth like wind, water, ice, and sunlight are constantly at work breaking, moving, and reshaping the crust. These geologic processes carve and form new landforms while simultaneously destroying other landforms. Beyond forming new landforms, the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition can form soil, caverns, and other environments on Earth that tell a story of Earth’s past.