Weathering and Erosion

What is weathering?

Weathering is the process of decomposing, breaking up, or changing the color of rocks.

What causes weathering?

Weathering may be caused by water, air, chemicals, plants, or animals.

What is chemical weathering?

Chemical weathering involves chemical changes occuring in the minerals of the rock that result in a change in shape or color.

Name some agents that cause chemical weathering.

Carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, and acids.

What is mechanical weathering?

Mechanical weathering is the process of breaking a large rock into smaller pieces without changing the minerals in the rock.

What are some agents that cause mechanical weathering?

Frost, ice, plant roots, running water, or heat from the sun.

What happens to rock pieces after weathering?

Once altered, they may be moved by wind, water, or ice, which is called erosion.

What is erosion?

Erosion is the process of moving weathered rock pieces away from their original location.

Give an example of erosion caused by water.

Erosion caused by rain or irrigation, which washes soil away.

How does wind contribute to erosion?

Wind can blow loose soil and cause erosion in fields.

What is an example of extreme erosion?

Wind erosion of sand dunes over long periods.

What is exfoliation in mechanical weathering?

Exfoliation is mechanical weathering that causes rocks to break into layers.

What natural formations can result from chemical weathering?

Stalactites and stalagmites in a cave are formed by the dissolution of minerals through chemical weathering.

What is the difference between weathering and erosion?

Weathering changes or breaks rocks in place, while erosion involves the movement of those weathered pieces.