Weathering Flashcards
What is weathering?
Physical breakdown & chemical alteration of rock at earth’s surfaces
What is parent material?
Rock being weathered
What is mass wasting?
Transfer of rock & soil downslope under gravity’s influence
What is erosion?
Physical removal of material by water, wind, ice, or gravity
What is soil?
Altered weather materials
What are examples of differential weathering and erosion?
Arches National Park (UT), Monument Valley (AZ)
What are the two main types of weathering?
Mechanical weathering
Chemical weathering
What is mechanical weathering?
Breaking of rocks into smaller pieces
What are the types of mechanical weathering?
Frost wedging
Unloading (pressure release)
Thermal expansion (daily variation)
Biological activity
What is frost wedging?
Expansion due to freezing (results in Talus)
What is unloading?
Erosion & removal of material releases
What is biological activity?
Burrows, roots, fracturing
What is chemical weathering?
Breaks down rock components & internal structures of minerals
What are the major processes of chemical weathering?
Dissolution
Oxidization
Hydrolysis
What is dissolution?
Aided by small amounts of acid in water
Dissolves solids