The process known as weathering breaks up rocks so that they can be carried away by the process known as erosion. All objects on the earth's surface are exposed to the wind, water, the sun, and other temperature features. Over time, these features erode objects and break them apart. The resulting bits of material are called sediment. Sediment is then transported by wind and water, often ending up far from where it started. These processes of breakdown are called weathering and erosion. Weathering and erosion affect all rocks on the earth's surface.
Three types of weathering are:
Physical weathering- e.g. Wind, water (waves and ice)
Chemical weathering- e.g. Acid rain
Biological weathering- e.g. Animals scratching, plant roots.