Weathering - Physical (mechanical) Weathering, Temperature And Moisture, Chemical Weathering, Rates Of Weathering - Biological weathering
rock crevice plant rocks
Weathering is the process by which rocks and minerals are broken down into simpler materials by means of physical (mechanical), chemical, and biological processes. Weathering is an extremely important phenomenon for the human species since it is the mechanism by which one of the planet's most important natural resources—soil—is formed.
The exact way in which weathering occurs in any particular situation depends primarily on two factors: the type of rock and the environmental conditions to which the rock is exposed. For example, rocky formations along a seacoast are likely to be exposed to the mechanical action of waves and tides. But rocks buried underground are more likely to be attacked by chemical reactions made possible by water that runs through them.
The presence of living organisms can also cause weathering. Imagine that a seed falls into a small crevice in a rock and begins to germinate. As the plant continues to grow and send down roots, it will work its way into the rock and eventually make the crevice grow in size. Eventually the plant's roots may actually tear the rock apart.
Additional Topics
During physical weathering, a large piece of rock is broken down into smaller and smaller pieces. This process can come about as the result of a number of natural processes. For example, the force of gravity may cause a large boulder to break loose from the top of a mountain and fall. When the boulder hits solid ground, it may break apart into many smaller pieces. Ground movements can also result …
Chemical weathering is the process by which changes take place in the very chemical structure of rocks themselves. Chemical weathering represents a second stage of rock disintegration in which small pieces of rock produced by physical weathering are then further broken apart by chemical processes. Three chemical reactions in particular are effective in bringing about the weathering of a rock: acid…
The rate at which rocks disintegrate depends both on the type of rock involved and the external forces to which the rock is exposed. As an example, sandstone tends to weather rather easily, while granite is quite resistant to weathering. The presence of moisture, high temperatures, large temperature variations, and air movement also tend to increase the rate at which weathering takes place. Human …
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User Comments
11 months ago
very boring tell about temperation
about 1 year ago
borring