Weathering and Erosion Flashcards
What is weathering?
processes at or near Earth’s surface that cause rocks and minerals to break down.
What is erosion?
process of removing Earth materials from their original states through weathering and transport.
What is Mechanical Weathering?
processes that break a rock or mineral into smaller pieces without altering it’s composition.
What is Chemical Weathering?
processes that change the chemical composition of rocks and minerals.
What is frost wedging?
cracking rock mass by the expansion of water as it freezes in crevices and cracks.
What is thermal expansion and contraction?
repeated heating and cooling of materials cause rigid substances to crack and separate.
What is abrasion?
moving sediments or rock sections that can break off pieces from a rock surface they strike.
What is erosion from plant growth?
As plants such as trees send out root systems, that fine roots find their way into cracks in rocks. As the roots increase in size, they force the rock sections apart, increasing the separation and weathering.
What is carbonation?
Water that contains acid from dissolved carbon dioxide will dissolve minerals from a rock leaving cavities.
What is oxidation?
Rocks that combine with oxygen to make new rocks that are not as hard.
What does climate have to do with weathering?
Weathering needs to be wet and warm to maximize chemical reactions.
What do plants and animals have to do with weathering?
living organisms secrete substances that react with rock.
What does time have to do with weathering?
longer contact with rock means greater change.
Many of the changes on Earth’s surface are the result of weathering, erosion, and what?
Deposition
When water does what sediments will be deposited?
slows down
