Earth Science

Weathering

Group 1
What is Weathering?
• When rocks and minerals break down into pieces or
dissolve, it is called weathering. Weathering happens not just
on its own. This is possible through the following agents:
water, ice, acids, salts, plants, animals, and changes in
temperature. The more exposed the rock is to weathering,
the more it becomes very vulnerable to breaking. For
example, rocks buried beneath the surface are less
vulnerable than those rocks on the surface areas because
they are very exposed to agents like wind and water.
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Once rocks have been broken down into tiny pieces, a process called
erosion transports them away into different areas. The process of
weathering and erosion is responsible for the creation of some famous
landmarks around the world like the Delicate Arch of Utah and
Kapurpurawan Rock Formations in Ilocos Norte, Philippines.

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Delicate Arch of Utah Kapurpurawan Rock Formations
 • A river canyon is made when
One of the most natural creation resulted
the pressure from a river cuts
from erosion is a canyon or a deep, narrow
deep into the river bed. The
channel with steep sides.
sediments then from the river
bed were carried downstream
(erosion) which resulted to the
creation of canyons. The river
that lies down at the bottom of
the canyon is called entrenched
river.

For thousands of years,

weathering and erosion
gradually and constantly change
the landscape of Earth. Hence,
River canyon formed after years of weathering no matter how hard the rock is it
and erosion cannot resist the forces of
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nature.
Types of Weathering
The process of weathering is divided in 2 types — physical and chemical
weathering.

Physical Weathering vs. Chemical Weathering 5

Physical Weathering
Physical weathering, also known as mechanical weathering, takes place when
rocks are broken into smaller pieces because of any natural or anthropogenic
forces. This process only changes the physical appearance of the rock and does
not alter any of its composition. The following processes below contributes to the
physical weathering of rocks:

1.) Frost Wedging

• Happens when water gets inside the crack

of rocks. The water inside the rock freezes
whick cause the crack's expansion. The
cracks get deepen and more water enters
and freezes. The alternate freezing thawing
episodes breaks the rock into smaller pieces
along the joint lines.
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2.) Abrasion
• Takes place when rocks wear away because of constant collision of loose
particles.
3.) Biological activity
• Is sometimes considered a different type of weathering, biological weathering.
However, many still acknowledges it as part of physical weathering as the
process only changes the physical appearance of rocks. Biological activity
includes plants and animals as agents of weathering. For example, when roots
of plants grow, they exert more pressure to rocks which causes them to slowly
break. Animals like rabbits can move rock fragments to the surface as they dig
into soil. Rocks get to be more exposed to more weathering.
4.) salt crystal growth
• Is another factor of physical disintegration of rocks. The force exerted by salt
crystal, formed when water evaporates from the rock's pores or cracks, causes
the rock to fall apart. 7
Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering on the other hand changes the composition or
molecular structure of the rock. For example, when carbon dioxide from the air
or soil combines with water, this can dissolve the rock. The process itself is
called Carbonation. Carbonation produces a weak acid, called carbonic acid.
Other processes of chemical weathering includes the following:

1.) Hydrolysis

• Is a chemical type of weathering

which changes the composition of
minerals from rocks when they react
with acidic water. This results to the
production of clays and soluble salts.

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 2.) Oxidation
• When iron in rocks get to be exposed to oxygen, it
creates iron oxide. The iron oxide produces a rusty-
colored weathered surface to the rocks.

3.) Dissolution

• Process in which rocks weather because of its

reaction to acids. When an acidic water (rainwater with
dissolved carbon dioxide) reacts with rocks, minerals
from rocks dissolve leaving them with holes or cavities.
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4.) microbial activity

• The last type of chemical weathering is Microbial Activity. Microbes break

down minerals from rocks by changing its composition making it more
vulnerable to weathering. An example to this is the presence of lichen in a
symbiotic relationship. This lichen is both fungi and algae. Fungi releases
chemicals which wears down the minerals from rocks. The minerals were
then eaten by algae.

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 Summary
• Rocks are hard, compact and solid. Once these rocks are exposed to certain agents
in the environment, they continuously break into smaller pieces and this process is
called weathering.
• Different factors act constantly of rocks to break and change them to soil. These
factors include heat, air, water, plants, animals and man.
• Erosion transports the broken pieces of rocks into different areas.
• Physical weathering are also knowm as mechanical weathering, it is the breaking of
the physical properties of rocks or disaggregation.
• Chemical weathering is the breaking of rocks due to the change of its composition.
• Breaking of rock through to physical weathering involves the following processes:
Frost wedging, Abrasion, Biological activity, and Salt Crystal Growth.
• On the other hand, chemical weathering may involve the following processes:
Hydrolysis, Oxidation, Dissolution, and Microbial activity.
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Activity 2: Complete Me
Direction: Fill in the missing information below using the words found inside
the box.

rocks canyons sand river

cracks time colder erosion

Weathering happens over 1.)_______. The process involves 2.)_______

which slowly dissolve or break into smaller pieces. Once they are broken into
pieces, they are transported to other areas in a process called 3.)________.
In 4.)__________ areas, ice can get in between rocks and soil which creates
5.)_________. Wind can blow 6.)________ on to surface which will cause
those surface to wear down. 7.)________ on a high elevation place and runs
down on low elevation creates 8.)__________. 12
Activity 3: Knowledge Check 13
Direction: Identify which process is involved on the following activities. Check
the space for answer.

Activity Weathering Erosion

1.) River flowing through fields as it changes its course.

2.) Avalanche

3.) A gully formed by running water, eroding sharply into the soil.

4.) Big trucks wearing away cemented roads.

5.) Rock cracked due to the sun's heat.

6.) Marble statue slowly dissolving because of acid rain.

7.) Sand carried away by the wind.

Activity 4: Fill Me In
Direction: Describe how rocks undergo weathering process by filling in the
information for each shape.
Weathering is

It is different from
erosion because

IT HAS 2 TYPES WITH THE FOLLOWING

DIFFERENCES

Each of these types have the

following branches

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 Group 1
Leader:
Jhun Mer Duropan

Members:
Shaima S. Halani Criszalin R. Montaño
Darhleen P. Mariano Gweneth S. Reymundo
Muadzmier S. Samat Carla Bianca P. Yu
Ar-rasheem G. Abdulla
Mohammad Javier S. Lajim
Andrei Krystian S. Pineda
Ridan A. Dann
Mudzna L. Ahmad
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 GROUP 1

Thank you
for listening!
Learning Area: Earth Science Grade 11 STEM Sigma