What is erosion? Erosion is the wearing away of something, for example the wearing away of a cliff by waves.

Erosion

The erosion of buildings and walls by the sea.

Erosion is a word meaning 'to wear away'. It is normally used to talk about how landscapes are changed by waves, rivers and glaciers.

For something to be eroded, it must be broken up and then moved away. So, for example, waves crash against a cliff (see video below) and knock off small pieces that are then carried away by currents in the water.

Video: Winter coastal cliff erosion is shown in this video of waves beating against a chalk cliff.

Video: Soil erosion.

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