The rocks, soils, and minerals across Earth in contact with the atmosphere break down over time in a process called weathering. The process can be driven by physical, chemical, and biological interactions such as rain, sunlight, or fungi. Weathering is different from erosion, which is the actual movement or removal of material from a location.

 

Weathering can be slow to occur, but it is a significant process that dramatically alters or even destroys features of Earth, forever changing its landscapes. 

 

NASA's observation instruments and their data span decades and can show in broad and precise detail how weathering shapes Earth and its processes.