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Forces of Nature: Understanding Rock Weathering Mechanisms

Explore the processes of mechanical and chemical weathering, from rocks breaking due to temperature fluctuations, frost action, organic activity, gravity, and abrasion, to chemical changes like oxidation, carbonation, sulfuric acid, and plant acids. Learn how water plays a crucial role in dissolving minerals, forming acids, and breaking down rocks. Discover the fascinating ways Earth's surface transforms over time through a variety of natural forces.

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Forces of Nature: Understanding Rock Weathering Mechanisms

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  1. Chapter 5: Section 1 Weathering

  2. Weathering • Mechanical • Rocks are broken from large pieces into smaller ones. • Temperature • Frost-Action • Organic Activity • Gravity • Abrasion • Chemical • Changes occur in mineral composition. • Water • Oxidation • Carbonation • Sulfuric Acid • Plant Acids VS. The breaking down of Earth’s surface.

  3. M.W. #1. Temperature • During the day, rocks are heated by radiation. • Outer layer of rock heats up and expands slightly. • Inside layers stay cool and do not expand. • At night, outside layer cools and contracts. • This process continues, and as it does pieces of rock on outside layer flake off. • Exfoliation- Flaking off of rocks into shards.

  4. Changes in Temperature cause Exfoliation Mechanical (Physical)

  5. M.W. #2 Frost Action Unlike most liquids, water expands when changing from a liquid to a solid (water to ice). The repeated freezing and thawing allows water to creep further and further into the rock when cracks expand. Eventually rocks crack and break off.

  6. Frost Action: Freezing and Melting of Water (Ice Wedging) Mechanical (Physical)

  7. M.W. # 3 Organic Activity Root-pry- Roots of plants, usually trees pry apart a rock as roots grow.

  8. M.W. # 4 Gravity Landslide #1 Land Slide # 2 Gravity loosens material and causes it to fall. When it does, it collides with other rocks causing them to break and fall causing landslides.

  9. M.W. # 5 Abrasion Abrasion- Wind blown sand causes weathering of rocks. Water can do the same as it carries sand and rocks.

  10. C.W. #1 Water As water runs over a surface it dissolves the minerals that hold rocks together. Water can also form acids when mixed with gases in the air ( acid rain ).

  11. C.W. #2 Oxidation When oxygen combines with another substance to form a completely different substance. Iron in rocks combines with oxygen to form rust.

  12. C.W. # 3 Carbonation When carbon dissolves into water, carbonic acid forms (Gives soda the fizz). Can dissolve limestone and feldspar.

  13. C.W. # 4 Sulfuric Acid When sulfur dissolves in water (usually water vapor) it can form sulfuric acid which breaks down brick buildings and old gravestones.

  14. Plant Acids Plants produce a weak acid that can break down the minerals in rocks as well.

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