Rain washes away dirt from a hillsideGroup of answer choicesMechanical WeatheringChemical WeatheringDepositionErosion

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify the process occurring when rain washes dirt away from a hillside.
2. Analyze the options given to determine which best describes the phenomenon.

Relevant Concepts

• Mechanical Weathering: Physical breaking down of rocks and soil without changing their chemical composition.
• Chemical Weathering: The alteration of rocks and minerals due to chemical reactions, often involving water.
• Deposition: The process in which material is laid down or deposited.
• Erosion: The process by which soil, rock, or dissolved material is removed from one location and transported to another.

Analysis and Detail

1. Erosion occurs when elements like water move soil and sediment from one place to another. In this scenario, rain causes the dirt to detach and flow downhill, which is characteristic of erosion.
2. Mechanical Weathering would involve the breakdown of materials without transport, while chemical weathering would imply a change in the chemical composition due to water interaction. Deposition is the opposite of erosion, where the material is accumulated rather than removed.

Verify and Summarize

After analyzing the definitions and processes involved, it is clear that the act of rain washing away dirt from the hillside fits the definition of erosion.

Final Answer

The correct choice is Erosion.