What is mountain erosion and how does it occur?

Mountain erosion is the slow wearing away of mountain surfaces caused by natural forces such as wind, water, ice, and gravity. Over time, rain and rivers cut deep valleys, glaciers scrape rocks, and wind carries away loose particles. Temperature changes also cause weathering, where rocks expand in heat and contract in cold, eventually breaking apart. Landslides and rockfalls further reshape mountain landscapes. This process, while destructive, also renews soil and forms new landforms at lower elevations. Erosion is a continuous natural cycle that balances Earth’s topography—while plate tectonics build mountains up, erosion gradually wears them down.