WEATHERING, SOIL EROSION

& MASS WASTING

 WEATHERING
Breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces whether physically or
chemically.

Physical Weathering

Chemical Weathering
Physical Weathering
Happens when rocks break up into tiny pieces without a change in
their composition

Frost wedging
a process in which water freezes in a crack of a
rock and then the expansion edges the rock apart
 Physical Weathering
Pressure- release
a process wherein tectonic forces lift deeply
buried rocks close to the surface and then erosion
removes overlying rock and causing the rock to expand
and fracture
 Physical Weathering
Abrasion
a process that consist of grinding and rounding of
rocks surfaces by friction and impact caused by waves
and glaciers
 Physical Weathering
Organic Activity
a process in which crack in rocks is expanded
by plant roots or broken by animals and human
activities
 Physical Weathering
Thermal expansion and contraction
occurs when temperature changes rapidly, causing
the surface of the rock to heat or cool.
Chemical Weathering
Happens when rocks break up into tiny pieces and change rock’s
composition or internal structure of minerals.
Dissolution
a process in which a mineral or rock dissolves in
water forming a solution like halite dissolved in water
 Chemical Weathering
Hydrolysis
a process in which a mineral reacts with
water to form a new mineral that has water as
part of its crystal structure like feldspar to clay
 Chemical Weathering
Oxidation
a process in which a mineral decomposes when it
reacts with oxygen like the rusting of iron
 SOIL EROSION
Is a surface process characterize by removal of rock particles from
where they formed
 Methods on how to control and reduce
the effects of soil erosion:
Vegetative Methods

Cover cropping
lands are planted with crops/crop rotation
 Methods on how to control and reduce
the effects of soil erosion:
Vegetative Methods

Strip cropping
cultivated and uncultivated areas are planted
alternately in rows
 Methods on how to control and reduce
the effects of soil erosion:
Vegetative Methods

Terracing
putting terraces to slow down the flow of water & it
retains run-off.
 MASS WASTING

also known as mass movement is the movement of a large mass

of rock, soil and debris downward due to the pull of gravity.
Factors that affects mass wasting

 amount of water
 angle of the slope
Tectonic movement