Why is rock weathering important?
Rock weathering causes the disintegration of rock near the earth's surface. It is important
because it degrades and loosens the surface minerals of rock, allowing them to be carried away
by erosive agents such as water, wind, and ice. It also forms distinct geologic features like cave,
karst topography and sinkholes.
▪ Why does soil erosion occur after heavy rains and flooding?
Water is one of the agents of soil erosion. When heavy rains penetrate the soil, the majority of
soil splatters which causes clogged surface pores and reduced water infiltration. Thus,
increases runoff, and causes soil erosion. In the same manner, soil erosion occurs after
flooding. It happens when water running over land surface carries away loose material of soil
and transports it downstream.
▪ Mass wasting involves the transportation of large bulk of soil and rock materials from
one place to another. Aside from the negative effects of mass wasting, do you think this
process also has some positive impact in the topography of Earth’s surface? Why?
I do believe that, aside from the negative effects of mass wasting, this process also has positive
effects on the topography of the Earth's surface. Mass wasting affects the topography of the
earth's surface, especially the morphologies of mountain and valley systems on continents and
ocean floors. It may create lakes when the rocky material dams a stream. River streams, when
choked by mounds of debris or slabs of rock, result in temporary lakes.
▪ Sedimentation is a natural process in the environment. However, excessive
sedimentation of soil and organic particles in water bodies often lead to water pollution.
How do you think people contribute to sedimentation problems in water bodies?
I think human activities such as mining and other forms of catchment disturbance contribute to
sedimentation problems in water bodies. Mining contributes to sedimentation when mine tailings
leak out to bodies of water. Human activities contribute negatively to sedimentation because we
most oftenly worsen the problem.
▪ The Philippines has several active volcanoes that release a large amount of volcanic
materials. How do you think people can utilize these materials for a specific purpose?
People have devised a variety of uses for volcanic materials.
In my past experience when Taal volcano erupted, volcanic materials like the ash, upon
collecting, can be used as a material to make bricks. People collected the ashes from roads and
house rooftops to be collected by the municipality and transported to manufacturers of bricks.
Volcanic materials can also be used as fertilizers to agricultural lands. An adequate amount of
ash released by volcanoes when added to soil can fertilize our land.
▪ Do you think it is possible for humans to make synthetic rocks by controlling
temperature exposure? If yes, what do you think will be the advantage of this process?
Yes, I think we can make synthetic rocks by controlling temperature exposure. When this
happens, people would spend less in making infrastructures, roads and other projects that
would be using rocks because there is less need for machinery, labourers and manpower. The
supply of rocks will also be more abundant and available for human consumption because aside
from naturally occurring rocks, we can now make our own rocks too that will increase its
availability.