Weathering and Formation of Soil

Name: Nikunj Tripathi

Enrollment No: T7421GEOOO4
Branch: Msc Geology
Subject: Earth Surface Processes
 WEATHERING
 The physical breakdown distingeration and chemical alteration decomposition
or rock at or near Earth Surface is called Weathering.
 There is no Movement of weathered material except where the pieces fall due
to the force of gravity.
 For Example Forest and Range Fire can cause rocks that are located along the
surface of the ground in the affected area to undergone weathering.
 Weathering is classified into three types
 Physical or Mechanical Weathering
 Chemical Weathering
 Biological Weathering
 PHYSICAL WEATHERING (MECHANICAL)
 Mechanical weathering is the physical distingeration of rocks due to factors
like Heat, Water and Frost.
 Small pieces or particles of rock prise off from the rock surface.
 There is no change in the minerals constituting the rock, the end result is soil.
 Mechanical weathering is more intense when the rock layer are exposed on
the surface.
 Four types of Mechanical Weathering are
 Frost wedging
 Unloading
 Thermal Expansion
 Frost wedging
 The Alternate Freezing and Thawing of water in Fractures and Cracks Promotes
the distingeration of Rock.
 Examples of Frost Wedging include Boulders and Mountains in Cold Climates with
large cracks in them.
 Rock Formation are often caused from frost wedging where tectonic Plate
movement is not likely.
 Unloading
 Unloading is the removal of great weights of rock or ice that lies on the surface
This happens through rising temperature that melt ice sheets, Erosion by
winds ,water or ice and tectonic uplift.
 This Process releases pressure on underlying rocks and causes them to expand
upward and crack at the surface.
 As a result greater area of rock are exposed to mechanical and chemical
weathering.
 Thermal Expansion
 Thermal Expansion is the tendency for minerals to expand and contract based
on temperature.
 Rocks are composed of various minerals which expand and contract at different
rates when subjected to rapid temperature changes.
 The Fluctuations cause stress and small cracks in the rock gradually breaking
down the rock.
 Grus is a Classic examples of the thermal expansion process.
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING
 When the chemical makeup of the rocks is changed it is called chemical
weathering.
 During Chemical Weathering, Changes occur in the Mineral composition of
rocks.
 Minerals can be added, removed or broken down(Decomposed).
 Many Substances react chemically with rock to break them down.
 This Type of weathering is most common in equatorial and tropical regions
where there is enough moisture and heat to start off chemical reactions with
rock masses.
 Four types of Chemical Weathering are
 Oxidation
 Carbonation
 Hydration
 Solution
 Oxidation
 Oxygen present in the air or water reacts with certain minerals present in the
rock.
 Oxides form and the rocks slowly crumble.
 For Example, iron present in rocks combines with oxygen to form iron oxide or
rust.
 Fe+ 02 Fe203
 Carbonation
 C02 Present in the atmosphere dissolves with rain water to form a weak acid
called Carbonic Acid. This Makes Rain water Acidic.
 H20+ Co2 H2C03
 The Acidic rain water reacts with rocks like limestone
 For Example, Calcium and Bicarbonate ions form which are carried away by the
water.
 Hydration
 The Hydration occurs when hydrogen present in water combines with mineral
present in rocks and decomposes .
 The Most well Known examples of Hydration occurring in nature is the altering
of Anhydrite to Gypsum.
 Cas04+ 2H20 Cas04.2h20
 Solution
 The Solution occurs when Rain water is able to dissolve certain minerals and
chemically weather rocks.
 Rock Salt and Gypsum are removed by Solution.
 BIOLOGICAL WEATHERING
 Biological Weathering is a form of weathering caused by the growth of roots and
burrowing of animals.
 Plants roots are the most efficient agents of the biological weathering as they
give off acids that contributes to break down of rocks.
 Biological Weathering increases with soil thickness until the optima for biotic
activity is reached.
 Biological weathering also means organic weathering.
 Biological weathering are of three main types.
 Growing Plant Roots
 Microbial Activity
 Burrowing Animals
 Growing Plant Roots
 It is common to see some roots growing within the face of a rock. Well, such
plant activity contributes to biological weathering.
 The roots of plants and trees penetrate into the soil in search of nutrients and
water
 Microbial Activity
 Some plant microbial activity releases organic acidic compounds.
 These compounds can break down iron and aluminum minerals in the rocks.
 Burrowing Animals
 Burrowing animals such as moles, squirrels and rabbits can speed up the
development of fissures
 Many animals such as the Piddock shells drill into rocks for protection either
by releasing acids to dissolve the rocks or fragment away the rock grains
 Formation of Soil (Soil Profile)

 The Soil is the topmost layer of the earth crust mainly composed of organic mineral and
rock particle that support life.
 The Formation Of Soil is understand by Soil Profile.
 A Soil Profile is a Vertical Cross Section of the soil made of layers running parallel to the
surface.
 The Soil is arranged in layers or horizons during its formation these layer or horizon are
known as Soil Profile.
 Each Layer of Soil has distinct Characteristics.
 The Given Below are the layer of Soil that can Make Soil Profile.
 O- Horizon
 A Horizon
 E-Horizon
 B Horizon
 C Horizon
 R Horizon
Soil Horizon(Diagram)
 O Horizon(Organic)
 The O horizon is the upper layer of the topsoil which is mainly composed of
organic materials such as dried leaves, grasses, dead leaves, small rocks,
twigs, surface organisms, fallen trees, and other decomposed organic matter.
 This horizon of soil is often black brown or dark brown in colour and this is
mainly because of the presence of organic content.
 They have surface layer at depth 0-2 Feet.
 A Horizon (Top Soil)
 The layer is rich in organic material and is known as the humus layer. This
layer consists of both organic matter and other decomposed materials.
 The A Horizon is also known as Top Soil.
 The topsoil is soft and porous to hold enough air and water.
 In this layer, the seed germination takes place and new roots are produced
which grows into a new plant.
 This layer consists of microorganisms such as earthworms, fungi, bacteria,
etc.
 E Horizon(Eluvial)
 This layer is composed of nutrients leached from the O and A horizons.
 This layer is more common in forested areas and has lower clay content.
 They are Light in Color, Mainly Sand and Silt.
 They have depth at 10-15 Feet.
 B Horizon (Subsoil)
 It is the subsurface horizon, present just below the topsoil and above the
bedrock. It is comparatively harder and compact than topsoil.
 The B Horizon is Known as Subsoil.
 It contains less humus, soluble minerals, and organic matter.
 It is a site of deposition of certain minerals and metal salts such as iron oxide.
 This layer holds enough water than the topsoil and is lighter brown due to the
presence of clay soil.
 C Horizon
 This layer is devoid of any organic matter and is made up of broken
bedrock.
 This layer is also known as saprolite.
 The geological material present in this zone is cemented
 They have depth at 30-48 Feet.
 R Horizon

 It is a compacted and cemented layer

 Different types of rocks such as granite, basalt and limestone are found here.
 They have Deepest Soil Horizon in the Soil Profile.
 They have depth at 48+ Feet.
Thank You