Lesson 1: Exogenic Processes

EXOGENOUS PROCESSES
The exogenous processes occur on or near the surface of the Earth. They are usually
influenced or driven by gravity, water, wind, and organisms. These could be destructive
occurrences that leave significant changes on the landscape and even in the ecosystem of an area.
In extreme cases, exogeneous processes can wipe out majority of the organisms inhabiting that
area.

Different Types of Exogenous Processes

1. WEATHERING 
It is the disintegration of rocks, soil, and mineral together with other materials
through contact with Earth’s subsystems. Weathering happens even without the movement or
transportation (as opposed to erosion that involves movement). The breaking down of soil
and rocks happen in situ or on the spot.

Types of weathering
 Physical Weathering (also known as Mechanical Weathering) – causes rocks to be
broken into smaller pieces. This type of weathering does not change the chemical
composition of the rocks, since they are just torn apart by physical forces.
                                       
 Chemical Weathering - is the process by which rocks break down chemical
reactions. In this process, new or secondary minerals develop and sometimes
replace the original properties of the minerals in the original rock or soil. Oxidation
(the reaction of a substance when combined with oxygen) and hydrolysis (the
chemical breakdown of a substance when combined with water). Another is Acid
Rain which may cause metals or stones to corrode or deteriorate and change in their
properties because of the reaction to acids by some of the minerals in soil and rocks
that make them up.
 
 Biological Weathering – also means organic weathering. It is the disintegration of
rocks as a result of the action by living organisms

Types of Physical Weathering:

1. Unloading Process -Occurs as cracks develop parallel to the land surface a
consequence of the reduction in pressure during uplift and erosion.
 
 2. Thermal Expansion & Contraction -Occurs when the temperature of the rock
rises, the rock expands and when the temperature of the rocks decreases, the rock
contracts.
 
3. Freeze-Thaw Weathering -Occurs when water continually seeps into cracks,
freezes and expands, eventually breaking the rock apart.
 
4. Salt Crystal Growth -also referred to as salt weathering. It occurs when saline
solutions enter the rock pores or cracks and evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals.
 
5. Hydration -Occurs when a mineral absorbs water to form a new substance.

Types of Chemical Weathering:

1. Oxidation - is the reaction of oxygen with chemicals in a rock. For instance,
oxygen reacts with iron to form iron oxide -- rust -- which is soft and vulnerable to
physical weathering.
 
2. Solution & Carbonation
 
-Solution- removal of rocks in solution by acidic rainwater
 
-Carbonation- in particular, limestone is weathered by rainwater containing
dissolved carbonate rock.
 
3. Hydrolysis - Is a process in which a rock absorbs water into its chemical structure. 

Different Agents of Mechanical Weathering

 TEMPERATURES. Rocks break because of the changes in temperature. During
the day, the Earth’s surface is heated by the Sun. As the surface of rock is heated, it
expands but it remains cool inside. During the night when the temperature drops,
the surface of the rock is cooled and the rock contracts. The cycle of heating and
cooling, as well as expansion and contraction of rocks, is repeated daily. The
repeated changes in temperature causes the surface of the rock to peel off. This type
of breaking off is called exfoliation.
 
  FROST ACTION. A unique property of water is that it expands when it freezes.
Frost action occurs when the water seeps into the small cracks of rock layers. When
the air drops below the freezing point of water, the water within the cracks expands.
As the water expands, it exerts pressure to the surrounding rocks that causes it to
break.
 
 ABRASION. This is the wearing off of rocks by solid particles carried by wind,
water, and other agents. Wind that carries sand particles causes abrasion of the
rocks leading to unusual rock formations on the Earth’s surface. Running water
causes abrasion as it carries other rock particles. The rock particles in the water
scrape the rocks in the revered causing the rocks to become rounded and smooth.
 
 ACTION OF LIVING THINGS. Plants, animals, and even humans can cause
mechanical weathering. Plant roots try to push through the underground rocks to get
their needed nutrients. As they mature, the roots grow bigger and longer and exert
pressure on the rocks causing them to break. There are burrowing animals that build
tunnel into the rocks to create a space where they live. The construction of roads,
dams, power plant, and other types of groundwork by humans cause rocks to break
too.

Different Agents of Chemical Weathering

 Almost all chemical weathering is due to the action of water. Water can dissolve
most of the minerals present in rocks. It can form acids when it combines with some
of the gases in the air. It can also combine with minerals to form a different kind of
mineral.
 
 Oxygen combines with other substances to form entirely new substances. Example,
when iron-bearing rocks are exposed to the surface, their physical properties and
chemical compositions may change. When iron reacts with oxygen in the air, it
forms rust which is a different substance. The rocks become brittle and break easily.
 
 CARBON DIOXIDE. Carbon dioxide in air combines with rain water to form a
weak solution of carbonic acid. It can then seep into the rocks and dissolve the parts
of the rock that reacts with acid.
 
  SULFUR OXIDES. Sulfur oxides are produced when fossil fuels are burned. They
combined with the rain water to form sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is stronger than
carbonic acid. It easily corrodes rocks, metals and other materials.
 
 ACIDS AND CHEMICAL FROM ORGANISMS. Organisms such as plants can
also cause chemical weathering. They produce acids and other chemicals that
dissolve some minerals in rocks.

 2. EROSION
            It is the process by which Earth’s surface is worn away by wind, water, or ice. The
process of erosion moves rock debris or soil from one place to another. Erosion takes place when
there is rainfall, surface runoff, flowing rivers, seawater intrusion, flooding, freezing and
thawing, hurricanes, wind and etc. These are forces of nature, whether violent or passive, capable
of exfoliating and scraping Earth’s surface and exposing underlying it. Movement of land
animals during migration or stampede can also cause erosion.  Human activities such as
deforestation, overgrazing, and mining can cause massive deterioration and destruction to
infrastructure.
 

3. MASS WASTING
                 Refers to the movement of large masses of materials (example., rock debris, soil, mud)
down a slope or a steep-sided hill or mountain due to the pull of gravity. Mass wasting is very
destructive in areas with increased water flow (such as rainfall or flash floods), steep slopes,
scarce or no vegetation, or vibrating or moving ground (example., from earthquakes or industrial
activities).
 

Different forms of Mass Wasting

 
1. Debris Flow - happens when a large amount of sediments, usually rocks of various
sizes, falls down the slope. Unlike a landslide, debris flow does not need water to
flow down.
 
2. Mudflow – happens when combined soil and water flows down a slope. This
usually happens near rivers or streams where soil is always moist or has been
soaked in water for a long time. The weight of the mudflow indicates the severity of
risk when it flows down a community.
 
 3. Slump – is a slow movement of soil along a curved surface. In time, the area would
look curved because of the depression formed by the sinking land.

 
4. SEDIMENTATION
                  It is the accumulation of materials such as soil, rock, fragments and soil particles
setting on the ground. This usually occurs in streams and sea erosion. Over time, the sediment
load becomes thick and forms a new layer of ground. In some small inland waters, this sediments
layer will eventually dry up the water and become part of the soil. In oceans, the sediments layer
can form the ocean basin. Because geologic processes are constant, ocean basin change in size
and depth. The change depends on the rate of erosion in their surrounding continental masses or
by the ocean ridges.