Weathering Flashcards
What is weathering?
Weathering is the breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments
What are the three types of weathering?
Physical, Chemical, and Biological weathering.
What are the causes of physical weathering?
Freezing and thawing, Exfoliation, Plant growth, and abrasion.
how does freezing and thawing weather rocks?
It is when water seeps into the cracks of rocks and freezes when the temperature drops. Water expands when it freezes and after being repeated over and over again, the cracks expand.
How does the release of pressure (exfoliation) weather rocks?
The release of pressure can cause the outer layers of a rock to crack and flake off.
How does plant growth weather rocks?
The roots of plants can enter tiny cracks in a rock and force the cracks further apart.
How does abrasion weather rocks?
It weathers rocks when sediments are carried by streams, wind, glaciers, or gravity and collide into each other or surrounding rocks.
What might happen to a glass bottle containing liquid if it’s left in a freezer for too long?
The liquid inside the bottle expands when it freezes. Ice is formed and creates strong forces on the glass causing it to break.
What are the causes of chemical weathering?
Carbon dioxide, water, and oxygen.
how does carbon dioxide weather rocks?
When carbon dioxide dissolves in rainwater and forms carbonic acid, it can easily dissolve some rocks.
How does water weather rocks?
Water weathers rocks by dissolving it.
What are the two types of chemical weathering?
Slow and rapid chemical weathering
What is slow chemical weathering?
Slow chemical weathering is when rainwater mixes with the carbon dioxide in the air to form carbonic acid. This type of acid rain is weakly acidic and reacts slowly with the minerals and the rocks.
What is rapid chemical weathering?
It is when the burning of fossil fuels produces sulphur and nitrogen oxide which makes rainwater more acidic. This type of acid rain reacts quickly with minerals and rocks more rapidly.
How does oxygen weather rocks?
The oxygen in the air can combine with the iron minerals of a rock and creates iron oxide (rust). The chemical change weakens the rock and causes it to crumble.
