Erosion is a process where landforms are primarily broken down by which of the following?

Erosion refers to the process by which soil and rock are removed from their original location and transported to another location, primarily driven by various natural forces. Weathering is integral to the erosion process, as it involves the breaking down of rocks and minerals through various processes such as physical disintegration and chemical decomposition.

When rocks and soil are weathered, they become more susceptible to being eroded by elements like water, wind, and ice. For example, rainwater can exacerbate weathering by penetrating cracks in rocks, leading to their breakdown into smaller particles. Once these particles are formed due to weathering, they are more easily moved away from their original locations by erosive forces.

In contrast, volcanic activity is more related to the creation of landforms rather than breaking down existing ones. Depositional forces involve the accumulation of sediments rather than their removal, and biological activity, while it can contribute to weathering (such as roots penetrating rocks), does not encompass the broad processes included in erosion itself. Therefore, weathering is the most accurate choice for processes that lead to the erosion of landforms.