Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

Break It Down
What is weathering?
• Weathering is the
breakdown of rock material
by physical and chemical
processes.

• Two kinds of weathering

are physical weathering and
chemical weathering.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Physical weathering is the process by which
rock is broken down into smaller pieces by
physical changes.

• The composition of the material does not change

during physical weathering.

• Agents of physical weathering include temperature

changes, pressure changes, plant and animal
actions, water, wind, and gravity.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Changes in temperature can
cause a rock to break apart by
weakening the structure of the
rock.

• Heat causes the rock to expand;

cold causes it to contract.

• Ice wedging, or frost wedging,

causes cracks in rocks to widen
with repeated cycles of freezing
and thawing.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• How can a small crack in a rock eventually split
the rock into two or more pieces?

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Ice Wedging
Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Rocks that formed under
pressure deep within Earth
can be exposed to the surface.

• As material is removed above

the rock, the pressure
decreases and the rock
expands.

• Exfoliation is the process by

which the outer layers of rock
slowly peel away due to
pressure changes.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Animals such as prairie dogs,
can cause physical weathering
by digging burrows.

• New rocks, soils, and other

materials become exposed at
the surface as a result of
animal actions.

• Materials exposed at the

surface are more likely to
undergo weathering than
those below.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Abrasion is the breaking down and
wearing away of rock material by
the mechanical action of other
rocks.

• Three agents of physical weathering

that can cause abrasion are moving
water, wind, and gravity.

• Rocks suspended in a glacier can

also cause abrasion of other rocks
on Earth’s surface.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes physical weathering?

• Roots of plants start out
as tiny strands that may
grow in small cracks in
rocks.

• As the roots grow, they

put more pressure on the
rock, causing the rock to
expand and eventually
break apart.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

Reaction
What causes chemical weathering?
• Chemical weathering is the breakdown of rocks
by chemical reactions.

• Chemical weathering changes both the

composition and appearance of rocks.

• Agents of chemical weathering include oxygen in

the air and acids.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes chemical weathering?

• Oxidation is the process
by which chemicals in
rock combine with oxygen
in the air or in water.

• Rock surfaces, especially

those containing iron,
sometimes change color,
indicating that a chemical
reaction may have
occurred due to rust
production.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes chemical weathering?

• Acids can cause chemical
weathering by breaking down
minerals faster than water alone.

• Acids in the atmosphere are

created when chemicals (due to
the burning of fossil fuels)
combine with water in the air.

• Acid precipitation occurs when

strong acids fall to Earth as rain,
sleet, or snow.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes chemical weathering?

• Acids in groundwater can
cause rock to dissolve.

• A small crack in the rock can

result in the formation of
extensive cave systems
carved out over time.

• Rock material dissolved in

groundwater can be carried
and deposited in new
locations over time.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

What causes chemical weathering?

• Acids produced by living
things such as lichens and
mosses, can cause chemical
weathering.

• Chemical reactions occur as

these acids move through tiny
spaces in rock material.

• As the acids seep deeper,

cracks form. Eventually, the
rock can break apart.

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