Weathering Flashcards
What is weathering?
Weathering is the disintegration of rocks by the various atmospheric conditions
What are three factors effecting weathering?
Climate, Chemical Composition and Structure of the rock.
What is climate?
Areas of high temperature and rainfall having a higher rate of weathering.
What is chemical composition of the rocks?
If the rocks have minerals that wre easily attacked by rain and air causing them to decompose.
(Calcium carbonate & iron)
What is the structure of the rock?
The cracks and joints in the rock.
What are the three types of weathering?
Physical/Mechanical weathering,
Chemical weathering,
Biotic weathering.
What is physical/mechanical weathering?
The rocks break into smaller pieces with no chemical change.
What is chemical weathering?
Chemical reactions causing rocks to decompose and change their chemical structure.
What is Biotic weathering?
Chemical and physical changes occurring because of plants and animals activity.
What are the 3 types of volcanoes?
Basic lava cone, acid lava cone and composite lava cone.
What is mass wasting?
The movement of weathered materials down slope
What are factors affecting mass wasting?
Nature of rock, size of material, weight of weathered material and amount of rainfall
What are the different types of mass wasting?
Soil creep and landslides
What is soil creep?
When layers of soil move gradually causing things to lean downhill and accumulate at the bottom of the slope to form terracepts
What is a landslide?
Movement of material downhill because of the increase of water in the ground