Weathering & it's types
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This document defines and describes the main types of weathering processes that occur at the Earth's surface: mechanical, chemical, and biological. Mechanical weathering involves physical breakdown through processes like frost wedging and abrasion without changing the rock's chemical composition. Chemical weathering decomposes rocks through reactions with substances like carbon dioxide, water, and oxygen. Biological weathering disintegrates rocks through organism activities like plant roots, lichen/algae growth, and burrowing. Different rock types and climates result in variable weathering rates.
Weathering & it's types
- 1. Weathering & it,s Types
- 2. Table of Contents Definitions: Weathering, Types of Weathering Mechanical Weathering Exfoliation Frost Wedging Temperature Change Salt Wedging Abrasion Chemical Weathering Carbonation Hydrolysis Hydration Oxidation Solution Biological Weathering Lichen, Algae, and Decaying Plants Plant Roots Organism Activity: Burrowing Differential Weathering 2
- 3. 3 Definitions Weathering processe occur at or near the Earth’s surface and produce changes to the landscape that influence surface and subsurface topography and landform development. Weathering is the physical disintegration or chemical alteration of rocks at or near the Earth’s surface. Erosion is the physical removal and transportation of weathered material by water, wind, ice, or gravity
- 4. Types of Weathering I. Mechanical (physical) weathering is the physical disintegration and reduction in the size of the rocks without changing their chemical composition. Examples: exfoliation, frost wedging, salt wedging, temperature changes, and abrasion II. Chemical weathering decomposes, dissolves, alters, or weakens the rock through chemical processes to form residual materials. Examples: carbonation, hydration, hydrolosis, oxidation, and solution III. Biological weathering is the disintegration or decay of rocks and minerals caused by chemical or physical agents of organisms. Examples: organic activity from lichen and algae, rock disintegration by plant or root growth, burrowing and tunneling organisms, and acid secretion 4
- 5. I. Mechanical Weathering Mechanical weathering is the physical disintegration and reduction in the size of the rocks without changing their chemical composition. Exfoliation Frost Wedging Salt Wedging Temperature Changes Abrasion Photo courtesy of SCGS 5
- 6. Mechanical Weathering: Exfoliation Exfoliation is a mechanical weathering process whereby pressure in a rock is released along parallel alignments near the surface of the bedrock and layers or slabs of the rock along these alignments break off from the bedrock and move downhill by gravity. . 6 Photo: SCGS
- 7. Mechanical Weathering: Frost Wedging Frost wedging is a mechanical weathering process caused by the freeze-thaw action of water that is trapped between cracks in the rock. When water freezes, it expands and applies pressure to the surrounding rock forcing the rock to accommodate the expansion of the ice. This process gradually weakens, cracks, and breaks the rock through repetitive freeze-thaw weathering cycles. Copyright © Bruce Molnia, USGS 7
- 8. Temperature Changes Daily (diurnal) and seasonal temperature changes affect certain minerals and facilitates the mechanical weathering of bedrock. Warmer temperatures may cause some minerals to expand, and cooler temperatures cause them to contract. This gradual expansion and contraction of mineral grains weakens the rock causing it to break apart into smaller fragments or to fracture. This process is more common in desert climates because they experience extreme fluctuations in daily temperature changes. Temperature changes are often not the dominant form of weathering, but instead temperature changes tend to accelerate other forms of weathering already occurring. © Copyright 2008 Imperial College London 8
- 9. Mechanical Weathering: Salt Wedging Salt wedging occurs when salts crystallize out of solution as water evaporates. As the salt crystals grow, they apply pressure to the surrounding rock weakening it, until it eventually cracks and breaks down, enabling the salt crystal to continue growing. Salt wedging is most common in drier climates, such as deserts. Copyright © Michael Collier 9
- 10. Mechanical Weathering: Abrasion Abrasion occurs when rocks collide against each other while they are transported by water, glacial ice, wind, or gravitational force. During abrasion, rocks may also weather the bedrock surface they are coming into contact with as well as breaking into smaller particles and eventually individual grains. Photo Source: SCGS 10
- 11. Types of Chemical Weathering Chemical weathering decomposes, dissolves, alters, or weakens the rock through chemical processes to form residual materials. Carbonation Hydrolysis Hydration Oxidation Solution Copyright © Oklahoma University 11
- 12. Chemical Weathering: Carbonation Carbonation is a process by which carbon dioxide and rainwater or moisture in the surrounding environment chemically react to produce carbonic acid, a weak acid, that reacts with carbonate minerals in the rock. This process simultaneously weakens the rock and removes the chemically weathered materials. Photo source: Wikipedia GNU Free Documentation License 12
- 14. Chemical Weathering: Hydrolysis Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction between H+ and OH- ions in water and the minerals in the rock. The H+ ions in the water react with the minerals to produce weak acids. The reaction creates new compounds which tend to be softer and weaker than the original parent rock material. Photo Source: Dr. Hugh Mills, Tennessee Technical University 14
- 15. Chemical Weathering: Hydration • Hydration is a process where mineral structure in the rock forms a weak bond with H20 which causes the mineral grains to expand, creating stress which causes the disintegration of the rock. • Hydration often produces a new mineral compound that is larger than the original compound. The increased size expanse the rock and can lead to decay. • Hydration can also lead to color changes in the weathered rock surface. • An example of hydrolosis: Anhydrite (CaSO4) can absorb two water molecules to become gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O). Copyright ©Bruce Molnia, USGS 15
- 16. Chemical Weathering: Oxidation • Oxidation occurs when oxygen and water react with iron-rich minerals and weaken the structure of the mineral. • During oxidation the minerals in the rock will change colors, taking on a ‘rusty’, reddish- orange appearance. Photo: SCGS 16
- 17. Chemical Weathering: Solution Solution occurs when minerals in rock dissolve directly into water. Solution most commonly occurs on rocks containing carbonates such as limestone, but may also affect rocks with large amount of halite, or rock salt Copyright © Larry Fellows, Arizona Geological Survey Copyright © Bruce Molina, USGS 17
- 18. Biological Weathering Biological weathering is the disintegration or decay of rocks and minerals caused by chemical or physical agents of organisms. Organic activity from lichen and algae Rock disintegration by plant growth Burrowing and tunneling organisms Secretion of acids
- 19. Organism Activity Some animals may burrow or tunnel into rocks or cracks in rocks and cause the rock to break down and disintegrate. Small animals, worms, and other insects, often contribute to this form of biological weathering. Some organisms, such as snails, barnacles, or limpets, attach themselves to rocks and secrete acid, acids that chemically dissolve the rock surface. Photo: D. Kroessig 19
- 20. Plant Roots The most common form of biological weathering is when plant roots penetrate into cracks and crevices of rocks and cause the rock to split or break into smaller particles through mechanical weathering. Copyright © Bruce Molnia, Terra Photographics 20
- 21. Lichen, Algae, and Decaying Plants This bio-chemical weathering process leaches minerals from the rock causing it to weaken and breakdown. The decaying of plant materials can also produce acidic compounds which dissolve the exposed rock. The presence of organisms growing, expanding, or moving across the surface of the rock also exerts a small amount of abrasion and pressure that gradually cause the mechanical weathering of the rock as the organisms extract various minerals. Photo: SCGS 21
- 22. Differential Weathering Weathering rates will not only vary depending on the type of weathering process, whether it is mechanical, chemical, or biological, but they will also vary depending on the rock material that is being weathered. Some rocks are harder than other rocks, and will weather slower than softer rocks. The differences in rates of weathering due to different types of rocks, textures, or other characteristics is referred to as differential weathering. Climate can also produce differential weathering responses for the same rock type. For example, limestone weathers more quickly in wet climates than dry climates. 22 Image source: SCDNR, Heritage Preserves