weathering

• Weathering


  The breaking of rocks into fragments. The breaking of rocks results to the formation of soil and different landforms.
• Types of weathering


  • Mechanical weathering
  • Chemical weathering
• Mechanical weathering


  The physical wearing away of rocks
• Chemical weathering


  Involves a change in the composition of rocks as they break down into pieces
• Agents of weathering


  • Water
  • Wind
  • Temperature
  • Plants
  • Animals
• Water weathering


  1. Waves pounding on rocks

  2. Water going underground through cracks

  3. Water expanding and turning into ice at night

  4. Ice breaking as it gets hotter during the day
• Water weathering


  • Landscape Arch in National Arches Park, Utah, USA
• Wind weathering


  Wind carrying sand or small rock particles that scratch the rocks' surfaces
• Wind weathering


  • Landscape Arch in National Arches Park, Utah, USA
• Temperature weathering


  1. Rocks expanding when exposed to high temperature

  2. Rocks contracting when exposed to low temperature

  3. Repeated expansion and contraction of rocks
• Plant weathering


  1. Plants growing on rocks and causing them to crack

  2. Tree roots growing bigger and breaking the cemented ground
• Animal weathering


  Burrowing animals digging deeper and causing rocks to break into pieces
• Arch formation


  • Weathering of rocks can cause it
• Mining activity


  1. Use bulldozer to flatten mountains or hills

  2. Quarry to get more rocks or stones

  3. Use dynamite to blast mountains or hills
• The Appalachian Mountains may have been once higher than Mount Everest
• Weathering and erosion have worn down the Appalachian Mountains
• The highest Appalachian peak is now just 2037 meters high
• Erosion


  The movement of rocks and soil from one place to another
• Sediments


  Materials that are transported due to another
• Agents of soil erosion

  • Water
  • Wind
  • Animals
  • Humans
• Water erosion


  • The faster the water flows, the faster and farther the erosion would be
  • Water changes color depending on the color of the rock and soil particles it carries
• Wind erosion


  • Causes the formation of dunes
  • The stronger the wind blows, the faster and farther the erosion that it causes
• Animal erosion


  • Burrowing animals carry rock and soil particles on their bodies
  • Animals that live on the ground cause erosion by scratching the soil
• Human erosion


  • Soil clings to our shoes as we walk
  • Gardening and quarrying can cause soil erosion
  • Construction uses large volumes of soil and sand which get transported
• Land slope


  • Steeper slopes result in faster and greater erosion
  • Greater possibility of landslides on steep slopes