MELC:

•describe how rocks undergo

weathering
Learning Objectives:
•a.define what weathering is;
•b. explain how rocks undergo weathering;

•c. discuss how the products of weathering are

carried away by erosion and deposited elsewhere;
and

•d. develop an awareness of how weathering,

erosion, and deposition interact in natural
environments, leading to the formation of various
landforms and landscapes.
WEATHERING
 DEFINITIONS
WEATHERING -

Brainstorm:

1) What is it?

2) What can cause it?

Possible Causes:
3) How does weathering
change the surface of the
Earth?
 WEATHERING
• Weathering= the breaking down of rock into
smaller and smaller pieces.
Is weathering constructive, destructive, or both?
Why?
-Weathering is destructive- it “tears down” rocks
and landforms.
 2 Types of Weathering
Brain- WEATHERING
storm
1) Mechanical 2) Chemical
Breaking down Chemical breakdown
1) What
can
rocks by physical of rock and minerals
cause means into new substances
each Possible causes: Possible causes:
type of
weatheri
ng?
MECHANICAL WEATHERING

1. ANIMALS
Little animals also
help weathering
by burrowing and
digging through
the ground.
 MECHANICAL WEATHERING
2. Ice Wedging –
when water gets into
cracks of a rock,
freezes & thaws over
& over again & splits
the rock
MECHANICAL WEATHERING

Ice
 MECHANICAL WEATHERING

3. PLANT GROWTH
• Roots of plants also push
into the rocks and break
them apart. They act like
wedges and push the
rocks apart.
MECHANICAL WEATHERING
4. RELEASE OF PRESSURE- as erosion
moves sediment from the surface,
pressure is reduced. The outside of the
rock begins to flake off
 MECHANICAL WEATHERING
NONLIVING CAUSES
5. Abrasion-
sediments carried by wind,
water, or ice wear away
rock by hitting & scraping
against other rock
 Abrasion

Wind
• sandstone shapes
eroded by coastal
winds Sandblasting
 Abrasion

WATER - rubs fragments against

each other and wears away the
surface of the rock by abrasion.
– The faster the water, the greater
the erosion
 Abrasion
• Ice- Glaciers

–The glacier
gouges out chunks
of rock and leaves
scratches on the
rock called
striations
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

• CHEMICAL WEATHERING
the chemical breakdown of rock
and minerals into new substances
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

Water is considered
to be the universal
solvent. It dissolves
many things – including
rock
• Over time, water can
break down even hard
rock like granite
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

2) Oxygen

Oxidation (rust)
is a chemical reaction
in which an iron
combines with oxygen.
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

3) Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

-CO2 mixing with water
creates Carbonic Acid that
slowly dissolves limestone.
(Acid in groundwater)
-Caves
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

4) Living Organisms
Acids from decaying plants or fungi such as
lichens breaks down rocks
 CHEMICAL WEATHERING

5. ACID PRECIPITATION
is rain or snow that
contains more acids
than normal due to air
pollution.
The acid “dissolves”
and “eats away” the
rock
 WEATHERING
How does
weathering
change the
surface of
the Earth?
 Mechanical Weathering
Living Plant Roots of plants also push into the
rocks and break them apart
Animal burrowing and digging through the
ground
Non- Ice -water gets into cracks of a rock, freezes
living (glacie & thaws over & over again & splits the rock
rs)
-scratches on the rock called striations
Wind wears away the surface of the rock by
abrasion
Water rubs fragments against each other and
wears away the surface of the rock by
abrasion.
 Chemical Weathering
Living Plants Acids from decaying plants or fungi
such as lichens breaks down rocks
Non- Water universal solvent. It dissolves many
living things – including rock
Acid rain rain or snow that contains more acids
than normal due to air pollution.
-acid “dissolves” or “eats away” the rock
Ground- CO2 mixing with water creates Carbonic
water acid that slowly dissolves limestone
Oxidation chemical reaction in which an element
combines with oxygen to form an oxide
 FORCES THAT CAUSE
Weathering
1) Mechanical 2) Chemical
Living Nonliving Living Nonliving
Plants Ice - Plants Water
(Glaciers)
Acid rain
Wind Groundwater
Animals
Water Oxidation
 GROUP ACTIVITY:
• Illustrate through drawing the destructive
effect/s of weathering on humans and the
environment.
RUBRICS:
Creativity: 5
Originality: 5
Content & Organization: 5
Neatness: 5