Landslides are examples of gravity-induced erosion.
Erosion is the natural process (often accelerated by humans) by which rocks, soils, and sediments are weathered away and moved across the landscape by wind, water, ice, gravity and the activity of animals.
Water
Water is probably the most consistent and powerful cause of erosion. Rivers and streams are constantly eroding their banks and slowly changing their courses over hundreds, thousands, or millions of years. Rainfall causes erosion -- even individual raindrops cause something called "splash erosion" when they land and big storms and floods can cause extreme erosion. All of this water gets its force and momentum from gravity.
Ice
Ice, in the form of glaciers, is a huge contributor to erosion, particularly during ice ages. The Great Lakes, for example, were carved out by glaciers. Glaciers move slowly but with incredible momentum due to gravity.
Downhill Creep
Gravity alone, without the help of ice or water, causes a type of erosion called "downhill creep." Creep is the slow movement of sediment downhill. Except in the case of avalanches or landslides, which are often helped along by water or ice, downhill creep progresses very slowly and is inhibited by the force of friction and by plant roots.
Tags: downhill creep
