WEATHERING OF
ROCKS
What ARE rocks?
Rocks are naturally occurring
mass of different kinds of
minerals.
What is Weathering?
Is the process of
breakdown of rocks
at the Earth’s
surface.
AGENTS OF WEATHERING
WATER SAL TEMPERATUR PLANT ANIMAL
T E S S
WATE
R Water can break rocks in different ways.
The strong waves that seep into the cracks of rocks can
make them break.
SAL
T
Saltwater sometimes gets into the cracks and pores of rock.
When it evaporates, salt crystals are left behind and grow in
the cracks and pores which caused pressure on the rock and
slowly break it apart.
SAL
T
This process is also called “Haloclasty”.
TEMPERATURE
Temperature changes can also
contribute to weathering through
the process called thermal stress.
TEMPERATURE
During thermal stress, rocks tend
to expand with heat and contract
with low temperature. As this
happens repeatedly, the structure
of the rock weakens and over time
crumbles.
PLANT
SIts contribution take place when the seed of a tree being spread in the
environment sprout in soil that has collected in a cracked rock. As the roots
grow, they widen the cracks, eventually breaking the rock into pieces. Over
time, trees can break apart even large rocks. Even small plants, such as
mosses, can enlarge tiny cracks as they grow.
ANIMAL
S
Animals that tunnel underground, such as moles and prairie
dogs, also work to break apart rock and soil. Other animals
dig and trample rock aboveground, causing rock to slowly
crumble.
PHYSICAL WEATHERING
PHYSICAL WEATHERING
is caused by the effects of
changing temperatures on rocks,
causing the rock to break apart.
Kapurpurawan Rock
formation
Burgos, Ilocos Norte
The Grand
Canyon,
THREE MAIN TYPES OF PHYSICAL
WEATHERING
1.
AItBoccurs
RA S I O N
when rocks
surface is frequently
exposed to water, wind
and gravity.
[Link]-
Toccurs
It H AWwhen water continually
seeps into cracks, freezes and
expands, eventually breaking the
rock apart. It occurs in
mountainous regions like the Alps
or Snowdonia.
It occurs through the following process:
1.) water enters crack in
rock
2.) water freezes and
expands
3.) ice melts and the water
goes deeper into cracks
4.) process repeats until
rock splits
1 . ex f o l i a t i o n
It can happen as cracks
develop parallel to the land
surface as a consequence of
the reduction in pressure
during uplift and erosion.
T h e f o l l o w i n g a re t h e p ro c e s s o f
ex f o l i a t i o n .
1. Initial state
[Link] begins
[Link] formation
[Link] and
detachment
CHEMICAL WEATHERING
CHEMICAL WEATHERING
Decomposes rocks through chemical reactions that change the
original rock-forming minerals.
TYPES OF CHEMICAL
WEATHERING
Oxidation
Hydrolysis
Hydration
Carbonation
Oxidation
The breakdown of rocks by oxygen and water
often giving iron-rich rocks a rusty colored
weathered surface.
Exampl
e:
HYDROLYSIS
“Hydro” which means water and “lysis”
which means to loosen or dissolve.
Exampl
e:
Grani after
HYDRATIO
N
Is a form of chemical weathering in which the chemical
bonds of the minerals are change as it interacts with
water.
CARBONATIO
N
carbon dioxide in the air dissolves in rainwater and
becomes weakly acidic.
CARBONATIO
N
CARBONATIO
N
CARBONATIO
N
BIOLOGICAL
WEATHERING
BIOLOGICAL WEATHERING
Is a process where living oganisms contribute to the break
down of rocks.
example
Can be classified
into :
Biological weathering by
physical means.
Biological weathering by chemical
compounds.
IMPACT OF BIOLOGICAL
WEATHERING
Movements of PLants and
Animals