Basic Geography/Weathering

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The earth's surface undergoes constant interplay between tectonic forces and denudation. On the one hand, mountains are being "built" through tectonic action such as uplifting, on the other hand, these same mountains are being denuded (or leveled) through weathering and mass wasting.

Denudation occurs in two stages:

degradation

In this first stage the rock is weathered, eroded and transported.

aggradation

In the second stage the degraded rock components are deposited.