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Why do deserts look different than other climates?

Landforms

Deserts often appear harsh, not just because of the lack of vegetation, but because the landforms there are stark - steep cliffs, deep canyons. That's because of the type of weathering that occurs there. In human climates, rocks disintegrate (break into smaller pieces) but also "decompose" (called chemical weathering, it's most often due to chemical actions with rain). In the desert, on the other hand, only mechanical weathering occurs - in other words, rocks just break into smaller rocks. Like being hit with a hammer, mechanical weathering produces angular, sharp breaks.

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