The document discusses weathering and soil formation. It describes two types of weathering: mechanical and chemical. Mechanical weathering breaks rocks down physically without changing their chemical composition, while chemical weathering alters the chemical makeup of rocks. Soil is formed as rocks are broken down by weathering over time and mixed with organic matter. Factors like climate, vegetation and human land use impact the rate of soil formation and erosion. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s demonstrated the consequences of unsustainable farming practices that stripped topsoil and caused widespread environmental damage.