Erosion and Deposition

Erosional Forces

Erosion is the process of moving rock material at the surface of the Earth. The four basic forces of erosion are water, wind, glaciers and gravity. When these forces stop moving, the sediments also stop moving and will collect in a deposit. This is the process of deposition. View this presentation to learn about the different forces of erosion and identify the erosional and depositional features that are associated with these two processes. Click the player button to begin.

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Deposition

Since the processes of erosion and deposition happen over such long periods of time, it is necessary for geologists to investigate deposits to discover what force, or environment, was responsible for the deposit. In this activity, you will learn about the process of deposition. This knowledge will help you to better understand the environments that existed when a deposit was formed. Click the player button to begin.

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Erosion and Deposition Review

Now that you have investigated erosion and deposition, practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the statement and enter the appropriate word from the word bank into the blank space provided. Click the player button to get started.