Which agents loosen and carry away rock during the erosion process? Check all that apply.

animals

heat

plants

sediment

wind

Answer: animals, heat, plants and wind

Erosion is a process in which the natural forces such as water, wind, snow, and gravity wear away the top surface of the soil, and rocks are deposited to other locations.

Animals such as rodents, mice, snakes and others can make burrows in the rocks which can lead to disintegration of rocks and loosen the physical rigid structure of the rock. The soil or other loosen materials are displaced away by other erosion agents.

Heat will also cause the disintegration of the rigid and tough structure of rocks as it will bring change in the inner chemical structure of the elements present in the rocks and may cause breakage of the bonds between the atoms. Most of the heat energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the rocks.

Plants have deep penetrating roots the seed when germinate develops a root and shoot system. The penetration of the root inside a rock can loosen the soil which will be eroded by other physical agent.

Wind with high speed has a potential to erode away large pieces of the rocks.

Roots of plant loosen the soils by penetrating through them. Heat also break the rocks into smaller fragments.

Wind carries away the smaller rock fragments by force.

Animals and sediments have no role in either rock disintegration or rock movement.