Weathering

Mechanical Wethering

• If your were crush one rock with another rock it would be an example of mechanical weathering. Mechanical weathering definition: This is a type of weathering that breaks rocks down into smaller pieces. Some of the agents of mechanical weathering are: ice wind water gravity plants animals

Ice wedging
One kind of mechanical weathering is frost action. Ice wedging is a type of frost action. Frost action is the freezing and thawing of a rock and soil. Ice wedging happens when the water seeps into rocks during the warm weather. When the temperatures becomes much colder the water freezes and expands. The ice then pushes against the different sides of the rock. This action causes the cracks to widen. This cycle repeats until the cracks get big enough and the rock breaks apart.

Abrasion

• Whenever you scrape a piece of chalk on the chalkboard particles of the chalk come of the chalk piece. Then the chalk wears down with use and becomes smaller and smaller until you can’t use it. Similarly the same process happens with rocks this process is called abrasion. Abrasion is when one rock hits another rock.

Water Abrasion


Abrasion can happen in many ways such as water moving the rocks and bumping and scraping each other.

Wind Abrasion

• Wind also causes abrasion by blowing the silt and other small pieces of rock against the exposed rock.

Gravity Abrasion


Gravity surprisingly also causes abrasion by rocks sliding down from the top of a hill the rocks scrape and rub against each other.

Exfoliation

• Exfoliation happens when the top outer surface of the rock has eroded away and the inner pieces of the rock are exposed. The decrease on the pressure of the rock may cause it to expand. Then large layers of rock may peel away from the rock. This process is called exfoliation.

Plant Growth


You may have thought before that rocks were stronger than plants. Think again the plant's roots can split apart a rock in several years at a time. Roots don't grow fast but can split apart rock in several years time.

animal ACtion

• 'Believe this fact or not animals also cause weathering. Earthworms tunnel through the soil and move some of the soil particles around.
• Other animals burrowing in the soil have gaps in the soil that could be weathered. The mixing and digging that animals do also contribute to weathering
• Animals also contribute to chemical weathering a type of weathering that we will learn more about later.

Chemical Weathering

The process of when rocks break down to chemical reaction is called chemical weathering. Elements affect the process of chemical weathering.

Acid rain

• The different types of forms of acid rain are rain, sleet or snow.
• Burning fossil fuels contributes to acid rain.
• Acid rain can cause very rapid weathering of rock.

Acids in Groundwater

Groundwater contains dilute acids such as carbon and sulfuric acids.
When this groundwater comes in contact with the rock chemical reaction happens.
Over a long period of time limestone may form.

Oxidation

• IS A TYPE OF CHEMICAL WEATHERING THAT OXIDIZES THE ROCK.

The end