The document discusses the global water cycle and how it influences Earth's lithosphere. It describes various weathering processes like mechanical, chemical, and mass movement that break down rocks over time. Mechanical weathering is caused by ice, water, plants and animals while chemical weathering involves acidification and oxidation of minerals. Weathering rates depend on factors like climate, hardness of rock material, and surface area exposure. Erosion then transports weathered materials and deposits them elsewhere as sediments, shaping landscapes and forming geographic features over millions of years. Examples highlighted include the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Great Sand Dunes, Arches, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Bad