EXOGENIC AND ENDOGENIC PROCESSES

• What are the two main types of weathering processes described in the study material?

  Physical/Mechanical and Chemical Weathering
• What is the definition of weathering?


  Weathering is the physical and chemical processes that disintegrate and decompose rocks near the Earth’s surface through the elements of weather.
• How does physical weathering differ from chemical weathering?

  Physical weathering breaks rocks without changing their chemical composition, while chemical weathering involves changes in the mineral composition of rocks.
• What are the types of physical weathering processes?

  • Block Disintegration: Successive heating and cooling break rocks block by block.
  • Exfoliation: Stripping of outer layers due to immense heating.
  • Frost Weathering: Freezing and thawing of water inside rock joints.
• What are the types of chemical weathering processes?

  • Oxidation: Oxygen reacts with minerals, changing their composition.
  • Carbonation: Formation of carbonates from rainwater and carbon dioxide.
  • Hydration: Water absorption changes the shape of rocks.
  • Solution: Minerals dissolve directly in water.
• What is biotic weathering and its causes?

  • Biotic Weathering: Disintegration of rocks caused by living organisms.
  • Plants: Roots exert pressure and release acids.
  • Animals: Burrowing introduces rocks to erosion processes.
  • Humans: Activities like agriculture and construction increase weathering agents.
• What is mass wasting?

  Mass wasting refers to the downslope movement of rock, regolith, and soil due to gravity.
• What factors classify mass wasting?

  Mass wasting is classified based on moisture (water content) and speed (rate of movement).
• What are the types of mass wasting?

  • Fall: Free-fall movement of detached rock pieces.
  • Slide: Movement along a well-defined surface.
  • Flow: Saturated rock materials moving downslope in a fluid-like manner.
• What is soil erosion?

  Soil erosion is the removal of soil at a greater rate than its replacement by natural agencies.
• What are the types of soil erosion?

  • Wind Erosion: Carried away by winds, common in deserts.
  • Sheet Erosion: Removal of thin soil layers due to runoff.
  • Rill Erosion: Creation of tiny channels called rills.
  • Gully Erosion: Formation of larger water channels or drainage lines.
• What is an endogenic process?


  An endogenic process refers to geological processes associated with energy originating in the interior of the solid earth.
• What is volcanism?

  Volcanism is the eruption of molten rock called magma onto the Earth’s surface through a vent.
• What is the geothermal gradient?

  The geothermal gradient is the increase in heat with depth beneath the Earth's surface.
• What conditions lead to the formation of magma?

  Magma is formed when there is an increase in heat, a decrease in pressure, and a change in mantle composition.
• What are subduction zones?

  Subduction zones are long, narrow zones where one lithospheric plate descends beneath another.
• What is lava?

  Lava is the primary extruded material from a volcano apart from volcanic rocks, ash, and dust during eruptions.
• What are the types of tectonic forces and processes?

  • Deformation: Change in the shape of a rock due to stress.
  • Folding: Stress causes rocks to bend.
  • Faulting: Formation of fractures due to pressure.
• What is the difference between a joint and a fault?

  A joint is a fracture with no movement, while a fault is a fracture with movement.
• What are the types of faults?

  • Dip-slip faults: Show vertical movement (Normal and Reverse Faults).
  • Strike-slip faults: Show horizontal and parallel movement (Transform Fault).