WEATHERING

Weathering is an important process that helps shape

the surface of the Earth. Weathering is the breaking
up of rocks into smaller pieces or particles.
Weathering may break a large, solid mass of rocks
into loose fragments. It includes two processes,
disintegration and decomposition. The
disintegration of rocks is a physical process of
breaking down rocks into fragments, while the
decomposition of rocks is the chemical reaction of
the minerals present in rocks when exposed to air
and water.
Mechanical Weathering is the breaking down
of rocks into different shapes and smaller
pieces. But the chemical components of the
rocks are not changed. There are several
causes of mechanical weathering and each
process results in the rocks breaking apart.
The following are the agents of mechanical
weathering.
1. Temperature and Pressure
Rocks crumble and decay because of heating and
cooling, During the day, surface rocks are heated
by the sun’s rays. At night time rocks cool and
contract.
2.Plants and Animals- Plants and
animals also weather rocks. The
growth of roots of trees and shrubs
can also break rocks apart. Some
animals dig holes in the ground,
exposing the rocks.
3. Exfoliation - Exfoliation is
the peeling off of the parallel
layers of a rocks surface, on a
large scale, this process forms
rounded rock formation called
exfoliation domes.
2.Plants and Animals- Plants and
animals also weather rocks. The
growth of roots of trees and shrubs
can also break rocks apart. Some
animals dig holes in the ground,
exposing the rocks.