What is erosion?

• A. Weathering
• B. Chemical weathering
• C. Breaking material down in place
• D. Transport of sediment/material

Answer: (D)

Erosion is the transport of sediment or material from one place to another by natural forces such as water, wind, ice, or gravity. This movement is what distinguishes erosion from weathering, which is the breakdown of rock or soil in its original spot. Weathering—whether mechanical (physical breakup) or chemical (alteration of minerals)—occurs in place, while erosion carries the resulting particles away to a new location. So the best answer identifies erosion as the act of moving material, not simply changing or cracking it in place. In rangelands, this moving of soil can remove the productive topsoil and reshape landscapes as sediments are deposited downstream or downslope.