Abrasion
This page discusses abrasion, another significant type of erosion in Geography.
Abrasion is often described as the sandpapering effect in erosion processes. It occurs when sediment carried by water, wind, or ice wears down rock surfaces through friction and impact.
Example: In coastal environments, abrasion happens when waves break against cliffs, throwing sand and rocks at the rock face. Over time, this continuous bombardment causes the cliff to wear away.
Abrasion is a key process in both coastal erosion and river erosion. The effectiveness of abrasion depends on several factors, including the hardness of the rock being eroded, the size and hardness of the abrading particles, and the force with which these particles are thrown against the rock surface.
Definition: Abrasion is the process by which rocks and other earth materials are worn away by the friction of rock and sediment moving over them.