Landforms Shaped by Weathering and Erosion

How Weathering Sculptures the Earth's Surface

Weathering—the breakdown of rock and soil by physical, chemical, and biological processes—works with erosion to create distinctive landforms. Key examples include:

• Valleys – Formed by river, glacial, or wind erosion cutting into bedrock.
• Canyons – Deep, steep-sided valleys carved by rivers (e.g., Grand Canyon).
• Mesas and Buttes – Isolated flat-topped hills with resistant caprock, shaped by differential erosion.
• Arches and Hoodoos – Created by wind and water erosion in sandstone (e.g., Arches National Park).
• Karst Landscapes – Sinkholes, caves, and towers from chemical weathering of limestone.
• Desert Pavements – Wind removes fine particles, leaving a surface of packed stones.
• Talus Slopes – Accumulations of rock fragments from freeze-thaw weathering at cliff bases.

Mountains, hills, and plateaus are primarily tectonic in origin, though weathering and erosion modify their shapes over time. Deserts are climatic zones, not landforms created solely by weathering.