LESSON 4
Exogenic Processes
EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE
ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE OF CAVITE, INC.
Introduction
• The earth’s surface is composed of
water and landmasses.
• The solid portion is made from
rocks and minerals that could
experience changes either
physically or chemically.
Introduction
• The weathered materials are transported by different
agents from one place to another and will settle down in
a particular area.
• These progressions that happen is achieved by forms
called exogenic processes. It includes weathering,
erosion, and deposition.
Exogenic Processes
• Exogenic processes are caused by
exogenic factors, or agents
supplying energy for activities that
are located at or near the Earth's
surface.
Exogenic Processes
•Exogenic factors are usually driven by gravitational and/or
atmospheric forces. Processes that are caused by exogenic
factors are:
1. Weathering
2. Erosion
3. Mass wasting
A. WEATHERING
•Weathering is the process of degradation or breaking
down of rocks into smaller fragments known as
sediments.
Weathering
•It occurs when mechanical force is applied on rocks
or through chemical reactions happening on the
surface or within the rocks.
•There are two types of weathering: physical
weathering and chemical weathering.
Physical Weathering
• Physical weathering is also called mechanical
weathering and it is caused by the breaking apart
of rocks without changing their chemical
composition.
Physical Weathering
• In this process the size and shape of rocks
changes and this occurs because of the
following factors:
Physical Weathering
a. Pressure - Due to tectonic forces,
granite may rise to form mountain range.
After the granite ascends and cools, the
overlying rocks and sediments may
erode. At the point when the pressure
diminishes, the rock expands, cools, and
became brittle and fractured.
Physical Weathering
a. Pressure - Due to tectonic forces,
granite may rise to form mountain range.
After the granite ascends and cools, the
overlying rocks and sediments may
erode. At the point when the pressure
diminishes, the rock expands, cools, and
became brittle and fractured.
Physical Weathering
b. Temperature - Rocks expand and are fractured when
expose to high temperature. However, if the temperature
drops to 0°C (freezing point of water), it also expands and
causes fracture.
Physical Weathering
c. Frost heaving and wedging -
Generally, rocks have fracture in its
surface and when water accumulates
in the crack and at that point freezes,
the ice expands and breaks the rock
apart.
Physical Weathering
c. Frost heaving and wedging -This
occurs when water seeps into the
rocks or occupies spaces in between
rocks and freezes, acting like a wedge.
Physical Weathering
d. Abrasion - The breakdown of rocks is
caused by impact and friction. This
primarily occurs during collision of
rocks, sand, and silt due to current or
waves along a stream or seashore
causing sharp edges and corners to
wear off and become rounded.
Physical Weathering
e. Organic Activity
The roots grow causing
penetration into the crack,
expand, and in the long run,
break the rock.
Physical Weathering
f. Burrowing animals - Some animals create their
homes by making holes on the rocks.
Physical Weathering
g. Human Activities -
Activities such as digging,
quarrying, denuding forests
and cultivating land
contribute to physical
weathering.
Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering involves the chemical decomposition
or rocks due to the chemical reaction of minerals within
rocks and the environment. Some agents o chemical
weathering are as follows:
a. water
b. oxygen
c. living organism
d. acids
Chemical Weathering
a. Water - It dissolves
the soluble minerals
present in rocks.
Chemical Weathering
b. Oxygen - It facilitates the
oxidation process in the
presence of water in some
metallic minerals, such as
pyrite.
Chemical Weathering
c. Living organisms –
organisms, such as lichens,
produce weak acids that
slowly corrode the rocks.
Chemical Weathering
d. Acids - Carbon acid (H2CO3) is
formed when carbon dioxide
(CO2) present in the atmosphere
reacts with water.
It easily decomposes limestones
and marbles. Acid rain is formed
from non-metallic oxides
Chemical Weathering
These oxides are formed from the
burning of coal and natural
activities that react with rain water
to form acids in the atmosphere.
Abundance of these acids results in
observable damages to structures,
buildings, plants, and vegetation as
well.
B. EROSION
• Erosion happens when fragments of
rocks move from one place to
another.
• It is called erosion if the rock
fragments are moved by various
agents, such as air, water, and ice.
• How do animals cause erosion?
• How do humans affect the rate of
erosion?
C. MASS WASTING
Mass wasting is the movement of large fragment of
rocks down the slope due to gravity. Landslide,
mudslide, slumps, and debris flow are all examples of
mass wasting.
Mass Wasting
• Fall occur when materials located in a steep slope
move downward without contact with the ground
until the reach the foot of the slope.
Mass Wasting
•Slides – move the materials as one following a near
straight line down the slope.
Mass Wasting
•Slumps is a slow movement of soil along a curved
surface. In time, the area would look curved because
of the depression formed by the sinking land
Mass Wasting
•Avalanches are the most rapid moving types of mass
wasting where loose materials move incoherently or
in chaotic fashion.
Mass Wasting
•Flows are the movement of materials when they
become saturated with water thus moving like a
liquid.