Weathering and Erosion

LESSON 4
 is defined as a process
of decay, disintegration,
and decomposition of
WEATHERING rocks under the
influence of certain
physical and chemical
agencies.
 Disintegration
is defined as the process
of breaking up of rocks
into small pieces by the
mechanical agencies of
physical agents.

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 Decomposition
is defined as the process
of breaking up of mineral
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constituents to form new
components by the
chemical actions of the
physical agents.

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 Denudation
is a general term used
when the surface of the
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earth is worn away by the
chemical as well as
mechanical actions of
physical agents and the
lower layers are exposed.

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 MAIN TYPES OF WEATHERING

MECHANICAL WEATHERING
AND
CHEMICAL WEATHERING.

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Mechanical Weathering

also called physical weathering and disaggregation, causes

rocks to crumble.
​is normally caused by the following agents: frost, ice, plant
roots, running water, and sun heat.

Mechanical Weathering
Main types of physical
weathering
ABRASION

THERMAL EXPANSION

EXFOLIATION AND
PRESSURE RELEASE

SALT WEATHERING
FROST WEATHERING
PLANT AND
ANIMAL
ACTIVITIES
Thermal Expansion

– minerals normally expand

and contract due to
temperature fluctuations. The
fluctuations cause stress and
small cracks in the rocks,
gradually breaking down the
rock
Frost Weathering
also known as ice
wedging, is the collective
term for various processes
that involve ice including
freeze-thaw, frost
wedging, and frost
shattering.
Exfoliation and Pressure Release
sheets of rock peel away
from the stripped rocks and
disintegrate into smaller
fragments along the
fractures. It occurs when
rocks parallel to the land
surface break up as a result
of the pressure release
during abrasion, rock
uplifts, etc.
Abrasion
it is when rocks and
sediments grind against each
other wearing away their
surfaces which is caused by
wind and water rushing over
rocks.
Salt Weathering
also known as haloclasty or
salt crystal growth, is the
process by which saline
solutions enter the cracks in
a rock and evaporate leaving
behind salt crystals.
Plant and Animal Activities
the seeds of the tree may
sprout in soil that has
collected in a cracked rock.
As the roots grow, they
widen the cracks, eventually
breaking the rocks into
pieces. Over time, trees can
break apart even large rocks.
Chemical
Weathering
 Chemical Weathering
• is the decomposition of rocks due to chemical reaction
between the minerals in rocks and the environment.
• is normally caused by the following agents: water, oxygen,
acids, and living organisms

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Main types of Chemical Weathering

HYDROLYSIS OXIDATION SOLUTION LIVING ORGANISMS

WEATHERING
 Hydrolysis
occurs when water dissolves minerals
in a rock, producing new compounds.
 Oxidation
oxygen is a reactive element, one
example of this type of weathering is
rust formation, which occurs when
oxygen reacts with iron to form iron
oxide (rust).
 Solution
Weathering
acids may also be produced when
water reacts with the atmosphere, so
acidic water can react with rocks.
Living Organism
living organisms perform chemical
reactions to obtain minerals from soil
and rocks. Many chemical changes are
possible.
Erosion
Erosion
is a geological process in
which earthen materials are
worn away and transported
by natural forces such as
wind, water, ice, animals,
and even humans
Liquid Water
is the major agent of erosion on Earth. Rain, rivers, floods,
lakes, and the ocean, carry away bits of soil and sand and slowly
wash away the sediment.
Rainfall
produces four types of soil erosions: splash erosion, sheet
erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion
Wind
is a powerful agent of erosion. Wind driven processes
constantly transport dust, sand, and ash from one place to
another
Ice
usually in the form of glaciers, can erode the earth, and create
dramatic landforms. As they move, they transport everything in
their path, from tiny granules of sand to huge boulders.
Zoogenic erosion
and
Anthropogenic erosion
are caused by animals and humans, respectively.
Thank you