Erosion eventually exposes the top of this body to the reactive atmosphere of the Earth. Weathering is the chemical alteration and physical breakdown of rocks and minerals at or near the Earth's surface.
Erosion involves the transportation - movement of weathered particles.
Properties of Water Water is a remarkable compound. Isaac Asimov once noted that the Earth was at just about the right distance from the sun so that water, on which life as we know it is based, exists as a liquid at the surface. Any closer to the sun and only steam would be present and further away would result in ice. When ice melts 80 calories of heat are absorbed. A calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water one degree centigrade.