Objectives of the

Lesson
1. Define weathering and distinguish between the
two main types of weathering
2. Identify the factors that affect the rate of
weathering
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 WEATHERING

-is the physical and chemical

breaking down of rock
material into smaller
fragments due to exposure to
processes that occur at Earth’s
surface
 2 main categories

1.Physical weathering
2.Chemical weathering
 Physical weathering

is breaking rock by
force into smaller
pieces of the SAME
material
 Chemical weathering

is the chemical reaction

of water and water vapor
breaking down rock by
changing its chemical
composition
4 Types of
Physical
Weathering
 Frost action (ice wedging)

When water gets inside

the joints, alternate
freezing and thawing
episodes pry the rock part
 Frost action (ice wedging)

1.Water seeps into small cracks in rocks.

2.When the water freezes it expands
creating great pressure.
3.The crack widens and allows water to seep
deeper into the rock.
4.Alternating Freezing and Thawing
 Plant action/biological activity

Plants and animals as

agents of mechanical
weathering
 Plant action/biological activity

1.Tiny root hairs seek out small

cracks and pits in rock.
2.Once the root hairs find a place
they grow and expand.
3.The expansion causes great
pressure and cracks the rock
 Exfoliation/Salt crystal growth

Force exerted by salt crystal

that formed as water
evaporates from pore spaces or
cracks in rocks can cause the
rock to fall apart
 Exfoliation/Salt crystal growth

1.Rocks formed deep in the Earth are made

under high pressure.
2.When the pressure is released the rocks expand
& crack.
3.May also be caused by alternate heating and
cooling of rocks by weather conditions.
4.This is basically the “peeling away” of rock
 Abrasion

-wearing away of
rocks by constant
collision of loose
particles
 Major processes of chemical weathering

1.Oxidation
2.Hydrolysis
3. Dissolution
Oxidation-

reaction between
minerals and
oxygen dissolved in
water
Hydrolysis

Change in the
composition of
minerals when they
react with water
1. Acid-Carbonic
acid:
C02 dissolves in rain
water forming a weak
acid.
This acid dissolves the
calcium carbonate
(calcite) in limestones
and marbles
1. Acid Rain:
Sulfur Dioxide
in the
atmosphere
dissolves in
rain water
forming a
strong acid
(sulfuric
acid).
 Dissolution

Dissociation of molecules
into ions; common
examples includes
dissolution of calcite
and salt
Factors that affect the
type, extent, and rate
at which weathering
takes place
 Climate

Areas that are cold and dry

tend to have slow rates of
chemical weathering and
weathering is mostly physical;
Chemical weathering is
most active in areas with high
temperature and rainfall
 Rock type

-those that are most

stable to surface
conditions will be the
most resistant to
weathering
 Example

-Olivine which crystallizes

at high temperature
conditions will weather first
than Quartz which
crystallizes at lower
temperature conditions
 Rock structure

-Highly-jointed/
fractured rocks
disintegrate faster than
a solid mass of rock of
the same dimension
 Topography

-weathering occurs
more quickly on a steep
slope than on a gentle
one
 Time

-length of exposure to
agents of weather
determines the degree
of weathering of a rock
 ACTIVITY

BREAK ME DOWN
EVALUATION
 1-2

Name the two types

of weathering
 3-5

What are the major

processes of chemical
weathering
 6-7

Give 2 types of
physical weathering
 8-10

Give 3 factors that

affect weathering to
take place
 5 pts.

What is
weathering?