CW: Weathering 05/24/2021

LO: To understand how rocks wear away.

KW: biological weathering, chemical HW: WS 8Hc-5:
weathering, contract, expand, Limestone scenery.
freeze–thaw¸ onion-skin weathering, Due on THURSDAY,
physical change, physical 29/04/2021. On
weathering. SMHW.

Starter:
Explain the difference between biological, chemical and
physical weathering (Word sheets).

Careers: chemist, geologist, palaeontologist, archaeologist, miner, engineer, builder, sculptor, science technician and any other laboratory
related careers.
By the end of this lesson, you should be able
to:
 Recall some examples of physical changes and of chemical
changes.
  Describe the effect of physical and biological weathering
on rocks.
  Explain why rainwater is slightly acidic.
  Describe the effect of chemical weathering on rocks.
 Describe how weathering can break up rocks.
In this lesson:
1. Weathering
2. Plenary
 1. Weathering
 What do you think formed the gaps in the ‘limestone
pavement’ in the picture?
 Which type of
weathering is it
representing?

Formation of new
substances that can
be washed away if
soluble or crumble.
1. Weathering
 What do the pictures below have in common?
 Identify the possible causes for biological weathering in
each of the pictures.
Lichens, algae,
Trees’ roots bacteria:
Small animals:
Chemicals’
scrapping and acid
production to get
secretion
nutrients.
1. Weathering
 Which type of physical weathering is being represented?
Freeze-thaw action Onion-skin weathering

 Predict where they are more common.

 CHALLENGE: Explain your reasoning.
 Freeze-thaw

Water gets into cracks in the rock and then expands as it

freezes.
This type of physical weathering is called freeze-thaw action.

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 Onion-skin weathering

Repeated changes in temperature can cause layers of rock to

flake off.
This type of physical weathering is called onion-skin
weathering.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2014. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
 Physical weathering
Changes of temperature can break up rocks.
Click on either photograph to explore how this
happens.

Freeze-thaw action Onion-skin weathering

© Pearson Education Ltd 2014. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
 Physical weathering

Freeze-thaw
weathering starts
with a tiny dip or
crack in a rock.

10
 Physical weathering

Rain gets into the

crack.

11
 Physical weathering

If the temperature
drops below 0 °C the
water freezes.
Water expands when
it freezes.
The expanding ice
pushes on the sides
of the crack.

12
 Physical weathering

The force from the

expanding ice makes
the crack wider and
longer.

13
 Physical weathering

When the weather

warms up the ice
melts.
Next time the
temperature drops
below zero the water
freezes again, and
more force is put on
the sides of the crack.

14
 Physical weathering

The crack gets even

bigger.

15
 Physical weathering

After many cycles of

freezing and
thawing, the crack
may get so big that
the rock breaks up
completely.

16
 Physical weathering

Freeze-thaw action Back to start

17
 Physical weathering

Onion-skin weathering
happens when rocks
are heated and cooled
over and over again.
This is a cross-section
of a rock.
Most rocks are poor
conductors of heat.

18
 Physical weathering
During the day the Sun
heats up the outer layers of
the rock.
The inner layers of the rock
remain cooler.
The heated outer layers of
the rock expand slightly
compared to the cooler inner
layers.
This can cause the outer
layer to crack.
19
 Physical weathering

At night the
temperature drops.
The outer layers of
the rock contract
again.
This may cause
further cracks to
appear in the outer
layer.
20
 Physical weathering
After many cycles of heating and cooling the
outer layers may crack so much that they fall
away.

End show Back to start

21
 How will this be weathered?

Study the different methods that weather

and erode rock around the world.

© Pearson Education Ltd 2014. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
Here are four different environments from around the world.
What will be the main kind of weathering in each place?
 How will this be weathered?
This photograph is of a stream in the Yorkshire Dales.
Look at the climate graph for Yorkshire on the next slide
and answer the question about weathering.
 How will this be weathered?
Climate graph for Yorkshire, England
40 350

35 Maximum temperature (°C)

300
30
Minimum temperature (°C)
25 250
Temperature (°C)

Rainfall (mm)

Rainfall (mm)
20
200
15
150
10

5 100
0
50
-5

-10 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Which kind of weathering will be the most important?

Chemical weathering due to a high rainfall
 How will this be weathered?
This desert is in Arizona, USA.
Look at the climate graph on the next slide and answer the
questions about weathering.
 Climate graph for Arizona, USA
40 350

35
300
30
Tem perature (°C )

25 250
Maximum temperature (°C)

R ainfall (m m )
20
200
15
Minimum temperature (°C)
150
10 Rainfall (mm)
5 100
0
50
-5

-10 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Which kind of weathering will be the most important?

Onion-skin weathering
Which kinds of weathering are unlikely to happen much at all?
Freeze-thaw and chemical (due to lack of rainfall)
 How will this be weathered?
The Himalaya mountains run through Nepal.
Look at the climate graph on the next slide for Namche
Bazaar – a village at 3800 m altitude.
Then answer the questions about weathering.
 Climate graph for Namche Bazaar, Nepal
40 350

35
300
30
Tem perature (°C )

25 250
Maximum temperature (°C)

R ainfall (m m )
20
200
15
Minimum temperature (°C)
150
10 Rainfall (mm)
5 100
0
50
-5

-10 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Which kind of weathering will be the most important?

Freeze-thaw weathering
Click on to the next slide for more questions.
 How will this be weathered?
How will the type of weathering depend on the time
of year?
The weathering will be greatest in the spring and autumn
when the temperature goes above freezing in the day and
then drops below freezing at night.
Why is there hardly any rainfall in the winter?
(Hint: look at the temperatures.)
During the winter months the temperature is too low for rain
so there is snow instead.
 How will this be weathered?
Malta is an island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Look at the climate graph on the next slide for Malta.
Then answer the questions about weathering.
 Climate graph for Malta
40 350

35
300
30
Tem perature (°C )

25 250

R ainfall (m m )
20 Maximum temperature (°C)
200
15 Minimum temperature (°C)
150
10
Rainfall (mm)
5 100
0
50
-5

-10 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Which kind of weathering will not happen here at all?

Freeze-thaw weathering
Click on to the next slide for more questions.
 How will this be weathered?
Which kind of weathering will be the most important?
Chemical, as the change in temperature each day is not
very large and so not much onion-skin weathering will
occur.
Will the type of weathering depend on the time of year?
Yes, there will be more chemical weathering in the winter,
when there is the most rainfall.
Mini plenary

1. Which place(s) will have the most and the least chemical
weathering? Explain your answer.

2. Which place(s) will have the most and the least freeze-
thaw action? Explain your answer.

3. Which place(s) will have the most and the least onion-
skin weathering? Explain your answer.

4. Which place(s) will have the most and the least

biological action? Explain your answer.
Mini plenary- answers
1. Which place(s) will have the most and the least chemical
weathering? Explain your answer.
Yorkshire will have the most chemical weathering because
it has the highest levels of rain. Arizona will have the least
chemical weathering because it has the lowest rainfall.
2. Which place(s) will have the most and the least freeze-
thaw action? Explain your answer.
The Himalayas will have the most freeze-thaw action
because the temperatures change from just above to just
below freezing for several months of the year. Arizona will
have the least freeze-thaw weathering because there is
very little rain so no water to form ice.
Mini plenary- answers

3. Which place(s) will have the most and the least onion-skin
weathering? Explain your answer.
Arizona will have the most onion-skin weathering because the
daytimes are hot and the night times are cold. Malta will have
the least onion-skin weathering because the range of
temperatures is quite low.
4. Which place(s) will have the most and the least biological
action? Explain your answer.
Yorkshire will have a lot of biological weathering because the
temperatures and rainfall are suitable for lots of plants to live.
The Himalayas and Arizona will have the least biological
weathering because the temperatures are either too hot or too
cold for plants.
2. Plenary: choose 2 shapes to answer
Describe how
temperature changes
can make cracks form Why is
in rocks. rainwater
acidic?

What causes
chemical Compare and
weathering? contrast freeze-
thaw action to What causes
onion-skin biological
weathering. weathering?
By the end of this lesson, you should be able
to:
 Recall some examples of physical changes and of chemical
changes.
  Describe the effect of physical and biological weathering
on rocks.
  Explain why rainwater is slightly acidic.
  Describe the effect of chemical weathering on rocks.
 Describe how weathering can break up rocks.