EXOGENIC PROCESSES

 Exogenic process includes geological phenomena and processes that originate externally to the Earth’s
surface.
 Generally related to the:
 atmosphere,
 hydrosphere and
 biosphere, and
 therefore to processes of:
o weathering,
o erosion,
o transportation,
o deposition,
o denudation etc.
 Exogenic factors and processes could also have sources outside Earth, for instance under the influence of
the Sun, Moon, etc.
The above mentioned processes constitute essential landform-shaping factors. Their rate and activity very
often depends on local conditions, and can also be accelerated by human actions.
The combined functions of exogenic and endogenic factors influences the present complicated picture of the
Earth’s surface.
Mountains, valleys and plains seem to change little, if at all, when left to nature, but they do change continuously.
The features of the Earth’s surface temporary forms in a long sequence of change that began when the planet
originated billions of years ago, and is continuing today. The process that shaped the crust in the past are
shaping it now. By understanding them, it is possible to imagine, in a general way, how the land looked in the
distant past and how it may look in the distant future.
Landforms are limitless in variety. Some have been shaped primarily by:
 streams of water,
 glacial ice,
 waves and currents and
 movements of the Earth‘s crust or
 volcanic eruptions.
These are landscapes typical of deserts and others characteristic of humid regions. The arctic makes its
special mark on rock scenery, as do the tropics. Because geological conditions from locality to locality are
never quite the same, every landscape is unique. Rock at or near the surface of the continents breaks up and
decomposes because of exposure. The processes involved are called weathering.
Weathering
Weathering is the decomposition and disintegration of rocks and minerals at the Earth’s surface.
Erosion
Erosion is the removal of weathered rocks and minerals by moving water, wind, glaciers and gravity.
The four processes – weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition work together to modify the
earth’s surface.
The Work of Weathering
Weathering produces some landforms directly, but is more effective in preparing rocks for removal by mass
wasting and erosion. Weathering influences relief in every landscape.
Freezing and thawing
 Water expands when it freezes.
 If water accumulates in a crack and then freezes, its expansion pushes the rock apart and the process is
called frost wedging.
 In a temperate climate, water may freeze at night and thaw during the day.
 Ice cements the rock temporarily, but when it melts, the rock fragments may tumble from a steep cliff.
 Large piles of loose angular rocks, called talus slopes, lie beneath many cliffs. These rocks fell from the cliffs
mainly as a result of frost wedging.
Temperature changes
Sudden cooling of a rock surface may cause it to contract so rapidly over warmer rock beneath that it flakes
or grains break off. This happens mostly in deserts, where intense daytime heat is followed by rapid cooling
after.