EARTH AND LIFE SCience

Module 5
EXOGENIC PROCESSES
  The earth’s surface is composed of water and landmasses.
The solid portion is made of rocks and minerals that could
experience changes either physically or chemically

These  The weathered

progressions materials are
transported by
that happen
EXOGENIC different agents
are achieved from place to
by forms PROCESS
another and
called will settle down
exogenic in a particular
process. area.

It includes weathering, erosion

and disposition.
  Is the processor disintegration (physical) and
decomposition (chemical) of rocks.

 When rocks
undergo  Weathering is a
weathering, some process of
minerals are breaking down
removed through rocks into small
WEATHERING particles such
chemical/ physical
leaching by as sand, clay,
groundwater and gravel and
thereby the other fragments
concentration of
remaining
(valuable) minerals  It can be defined as mechanical disintegration and
increase chemical decomposition of rocks through the
actions of various elements of weather and
climate.
  Mechanical or physical weathering is the
breakdown of rocks into pieces without any
change in its composition.
 The applied forces
 Most of the could be gravitational
forces such as
physical
overburden pressure,
weathering are
load, and shearing
caused by stress; expansion force
thermal MECHANICAL due to temperature
expansion and WEATHERING changes, crystal
pressure. growth or animal
activity; water pressure
controlled by wetting
and drying cycles.
 Physical or mechanical weathering processes
depend on some applied forces.
In the process of physical weathering, the size and shape of rock changes
because of the following factors:
 Due to tectonic forces, granite may rise to
form mountain range. After the granite
ascends and cools, the overlying rocks and
PRESSUR sediments may erode. At the point when the
pressure diminishes, the rock expands, cools,
E and become brittle and fractured.

 Rocks expand and are fractured when expose to

high temperature. However, if the temperature
TEMPERAT drops to 0 degrees Celcius (freezing point of
water), it also expands and causes fracture.
URE
In the process of physical weathering, the size and shape of rock changes
because of the following factors:

 Generally, rocks have fracture in its surface

and when water accumulates in the crack
FROST and at that point freezes, the ice expands
WEDGING and breaks the rock apart.

 The breakdown of rocks is caused by impact and

friction. This primarily occurs during collision of
ABRASIO rocks, sand and silt due to current or waves
along a stream or seashore causing sharp edges
N and corners to wear off and become rounded.
In the process of physical weathering, the size and shape of rock changes
because of the following factors:

 The roots grow causing penetration into the

ORGANIC crack, expand, and in the long run, break
the rock.
ACTIVITY

 Activities such as digging,

HUMAN quarrying, denuding forests and
cultivating land contribute to
ACTIVITI physical weathering.

ES
In the process of physical weathering, the size and shape of rock
changes because of the following factors:

 Animals like rats, rabbits, and squirrels

BURROWING excavate into the ground to create a space
for habitation.
ANIMALS
  Chemical weathering, there are changes in the
composition of rocks due to the chemical reactions.

 it changes the  it changes the

chemical chemical
composition of composition of
the rock, the rock, usually
usually through CHEMICAL through
carbonation, WEATHERING carbonation,
hydration, hydration,
hydrolysis or hydrolysis or
oxidation.  oxidation. 

 It attacks minerals that are relatively unstable in surface conditions, such as

the primary minerals of igneous rocks like basalt, granite or peridotite. It can
also occur in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and is an element
of corrosion or chemical erosion. 
There are changes in the composition of rocks due to the chemical reactions
presented below:

 It occurs in specific minerals which are dissolved in

water.
DISSOLUTIO  Examples of these minerals are Halite (NaCl) and Calcite
N ( CaCO₃)
 The formation of stalactites and stalagmites in caves are
brought about by this chemical reaction.

Rock forming minerals like

amphibole, pyroxene, and feldspar
HYDROLYS react with water and form different
IS kinds of clay minerals.
There are changes in the composition of rocks due to the
chemical reactions presented below:
 It is the response of oxygen with minerals.
If the iron oxidizes, the minerals in rocks
decomposes.
 Oxidation is caused when an atom, a
OXIDATIO molecule, or even an ion comes in contact
with oxygen.
N  Rusting is an example of this chemical
reaction
  Weathering is an important process in the formation of soil. Soil
is a mixture of grains, organic matter, H20 and gas.
 Erosion is the
separation and
removal of weathered  The movement of
rocks due to different sediments
agents like water, downslope under
wind, and glacier that the influence of
causes transportation WEATHERING gravity is called
of the material to mass wasting.
where they are
deposited  The example of
this are fall, slide,
 Plants, animals, and avalanche, and
humans, play an flow.
important role in the
erosional process.
 On the other hand, deposition is the process in which the weathered
materials carried out by erosion settle down in a particular location.