Weathering key terms Flashcards
3 Types of Weathering
> Mechanical
Chemical
Biological
3 main factors that affect rate of rock decomposition
> Rock type
Rock structure
Climate
Mechanical weathering
refers to a process that breaks down rock into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition
2 main types of mechanical weathering
> Freeze-thaw action
Exfoliation
Regolith
Pieces of weathered rock
Scree/Talus
a mass of small weathered rock that often forms a pile at the base of a cliff
Precipitation
The collective name for snow,rain,sleet or hail
Diurnal Temperature change
large change in temp between day and night which can cause rocks to split along their joints
Chemical Weathering
the decomposition of rocks due to chemical reactions occuring between the minerals in rocks and the environment
2 types of chemical weathering
> Carbonation
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
introduction of water into the minerals in granite to create a new substance
Hydration
when water chemically combines with some of the minerals in the rock causing them to crystallise and expand breaking the rock
Oxidation
when water reacts chemically with cementing iron compounds in rocks,breaking them down into iron oxide and making them crumbly
takes place by plants and animals
Cracks in rocks are widened by burrowing animals.
PPl mining causes this and buring fossil fuels makes it worse
