Processes of Erosion
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 3.3.5
Processes of Erosion
Erosion is the wearing away of rock using movement. The sea can build up a lot of energy and move quickly with a lot of force. This can make erosion happen faster. There are 4 types of erosion:
Hydraulic action
- Hydraulic action is where the force of the water hits against the river or sea bed and banks and causes the rock to break off.
Solution
- Solution is where soluble rocks are dissolved by the water in the river or sea (limestone and chalk in particular). They are carried along with the river or sea.
Abrasion
- Abrasion is where pieces of rock are picked up by the river or sea water and hit against the bed or the banks. This wears them away.
Attrition
- Attrition is where pieces of bedload (material carried by a river or seawater) are hit against one another. This causes them to break apart and become smaller and more rounded.
Test yourself on Processes of Erosion
Which process of erosion involves pieces of bedload hitting into one another?