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The earth is covered in many different landforms.
Landforms are natural features of the earth's
surface, like mountains, deserts, and plains.
Although they may seem permanent, they are
constantly changing, and much of that change
is caused by a surprising force: water.
Water changes the land through erosion.
Erosion occurs when the surface of the earth
wears away.
Water can break down rock and dirt and carry
the particles away to another place.
This changes the shape of the landscape.
The ocean is a powerful cause of erosion.
Waves beat upon the shoreline, breaking up
rocks along the coast.
Sometimes this forms cliffs.
Other times, it may form beaches.
Still other times it can create rock formations
sticking up out of the water, called sea stacks.
The way the ocean erodes the shore depends
on how the water moves and what kind of rock
the shore is made of.
Rivers can make big changes in the land, too,
and the Grand Canyon is a famous example of this.
Over many years, the Colorado River has carried
away particles of dirt and rock, carving its
path deeper and deeper into the ground.
Today the Grand Canyon is over 6,000 feet
or 1,800 meters deep and 18 miles or 29 km
wide in some places.
Water does not have to be liquid to cause
erosion – ice can do it, too.
Glaciers are sometimes called 'rivers of ice'
because they are huge slabs of ice and snow
that move very slowly across the landscape.
As glaciers move, they break off and scrape
away pieces of rock and stone.
Glaciers can create many different landforms,
including deep valleys, lakes, and fjords,
as they carve their way across the land.
Although water is not the only force that
changes the landscape of our planet, it is
an important one.
Whether it's a whole ocean or just some rain,
a little water can make a big difference.
I hope you enjoyed learning about erosion
caused by water today.
Goodbye till next time!
