Wind can cause weathering by blowing grains of sand against a rock, while rain and waves cause weathering by slowly wearing rock away over long periods of time. Climate variables including temperature, rainfall intensity, rainfall acidity, and litho logical properties are among the most important factors affecting rock weathering. The most important erosion factors include the climatic, hydrological, topographic, soil, geological and vegetation conditions, as well as the economic and technical and the socioeconomic conditions of the human society. The erosion potential of any area is determined by four principal factors: the characteristics of its soil, its vegetative cover, its topography and its climate.

Rainfall and temperature can affect the rate in which rocks weather. High temperatures and greater rainfall increase the rate of chemical weathering. Rocks in tropical regions exposed to abundant rainfall and hot temperatures weather much faster than similar rocks residing in cold, dry regions. Climate variables including temperature, rainfall intensity, rainfall acidity, and lithological properties are among the most important factors affecting rock weathering. The amount of water in the air and the temperature of an area are both part of an area's climate. Moisture speeds up chemical weathering. Weathering occurs fastest in hot, wet climates. It occurs very slowly in hot and dry climates. Water and temperature are key factors controlling both weathering rates and the types of weathering that occur: Water is required for chemical weathering reactions to occur. Water must be present for ice wedging to happen. Higher temperatures speed up chemical reactions. Since water participates in both mechanical and chemical weathering, more water strongly increases weathering. Water, ice, acids, salts, plants, animals, and changes in temperature are all agents of weathering. Once a rock has been broken down, a process of erosion transports the bits of rock and mineral away. No rock on Earth is hard enough to resist the forces of weathering and erosion. Erosion is caused due to wind, water, ice, and human activities. Weathering is caused due to factors like air pressure. Erosion and weathering together break down the soil and wear away coastline and cliffs.