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Weathering & Erosion

Explore the breakdown of rocks due to weathering and their transportation by erosion. Learn the types and factors affecting the rate of weathering, including chemical and mechanical processes. Discover how nature shapes our landscapes.

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Weathering & Erosion

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  1. Weathering & Erosion

  2. Weathering and Erosion • Weatheringis the break down of rocks that have been exposed to the atmosphere • Once the rocks are broken down, the pieces are transported from one place to another. This process is callederosion • Erosion is caused by wind, moving water (streams, waves, ocean currents), ice (glaciers), and by gravity. • *Most erosion that takes place on Earth is caused by moving water

  3. Chemical weathering- rocks break down as their minerals change in composition (they become different substances) Mechanical weathering– rocks are broken down into smaller pieces without changing their composition (doesn’t change what they’re made of) Types of Weathering

  4. Types of Mechanical Weathering • Ice wedging/frost action • water enters small cracks in the rock • When it freezes, it expands and forces the crack to open more • The process repeats over again until the rock breaks apart

  5. Eventually, the rock splits from repeated frost action!

  6. Types of Mechanical Weathering • Wetting and drying • breaks up rocks that are made from clay • When they are wet they expand, and they shrink as they dry • As this repeats over and over, the clay becomes weak and cracks (think of all the projects you have made out of clay…they all crack and fall apart)!

  7. Types of Mechanical Weathering • Exfoliation • soil and rock is removed (glaciers or uplifting), exposing rock found deep underground • This releases the pressure causing the surface of the rock to expand and eventually crack

  8. Types of Mechanical Weathering • Plant Roots • The deep roots of trees often break apart rocks • Lichen & Moss • These low to the ground plants can grow on rocks and eventually break them apart

  9. Types of Chemical Weathering • Hydrolysis • water (hydro) reacts with minerals such as feldspar and form clay

  10. Types of Chemical Weathering • Oxidation • oxygen reacts with some minerals, especially those containing iron (magnetite) to form rust (called iron oxide) • This occurs faster with water!

  11. Chemical weathering of basalt

  12. Iron Banding in Basalt

  13. Oxidative weathering of mineral deposits (new deposits are white/yellow, weathered deposits are reddish-brown)

  14. Types of Chemical Weathering • Carbonic acid • carbon dioxide (CO²) dissolves in water to form this acid • can cause minerals to dissolve, especially those containing calcite

  15. “Gnarled Rock” – a formation of limestone chemically weathered by acid rain

  16. Factors which affect rates of weathering: • Rock’s resistance to weathering(HARDNESS) • Amount of surface area • Climate: • Chemical weathering occurs faster in warm, wet climates • Mechanical weathering occurs faster in cold or dry climates

  17. The central area of rock was less resistant to weathering…thus the “arch” was formed!

  18. Surface Area • Greater surface area increases the rate of weathering • Surface area is the amount of rock surfaces exposed to the atmosphere • Weathering creates more surface area

  19. Dry Climate = Mechanical Weathering! Devil’s Marbles, Australia – Mechanical weathering from wind and sand!

  20. Warm Climate = Chemical Weathering Parthenon – Athens, Greece

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