ASBOG Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Ace Your Geology Licensure!

The primary agents of erosion are water, wind, ice, and gravity. Each of these forces plays a significant role in shaping the Earth's surface.

Water is perhaps the most influential agent of erosion. It can erode rock and soil through processes such as rainfall, river flow, and ocean waves. Over time, flowing water carves out valleys and transports sediments to different locations, forming new landscapes.

Wind contributes to erosion, especially in arid regions where vegetation is sparse. It can pick up and transport small particles, which can wear away surfaces and shape landforms like sand dunes.

Ice, particularly in the form of glaciers, is a powerful eroding agent. Glaciers move slowly but can carry large amounts of rock and sediment as they advance, scraping away the landscape beneath them and carving out U-shaped valleys.

Gravity also plays a key role in erosion through processes like landslides and rockfalls. The force of gravity causes material on slopes to move downward, contributing to erosion by removing soil and rock.

In comparison, forestation and agriculture may influence erosion rates but are not agents of erosion themselves. Temperature changes could affect the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks but do not directly cause erosion. Volcanic activity can reshape landscapes and create new features