1. Endogenic Processes: These are internal processes driven by forces within the Earth. Think of them as the Earth's "internal engine." They include:
* Plate tectonics: The movement of the Earth's crustal plates, responsible for earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, and the formation of ocean basins.
* Magmatism: The movement and cooling of magma within the Earth's crust, creating volcanic features like mountains and lava flows.
* Metamorphism: The transformation of existing rocks under pressure and heat, creating new rock types.
2. Exogenic Processes: These are external processes driven by forces outside the Earth. Think of them as the Earth's "weathering and sculpting" agents. They include:
* Weathering: The breakdown of rocks, soil, and minerals by physical, chemical, and biological processes.
* Erosion: The transportation of weathered material by agents like wind, water, ice, and gravity.
* Deposition: The accumulation of transported material, forming landforms like deltas, sand dunes, and glacial deposits.
These two categories of processes work in concert to constantly shape and reshape the Earth's surface over vast periods of time.