Weathering

I can….

• Identify the layers of the earth• Describe how landforms can be

changed by weathering and erosion• Explain how water can change

landforms such as creating caves and deposition of sediments

Weathering

• Weathering- (Destructive Force) the term that describes all the processes that break down rocks in the environment near the earth's surface.

• Erosion- The movement of weathered rock

• Mechanical Weathering- processes tear apart rocks by breaking them into smaller pieces, by physically destroying them.

• Frost Wedging - Water seeps into cracks of rock, freezes, expands, and breaks the rock.

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• Tree roots-Tree root tips are tiny and penetrate easily into fine fractures of rocks. As the roots grow in diameter, they put stress on the rock that can cause the fractures to expand

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• Abrasion is simply the mechanism of rocks breaking or wearing down by the direct actions of other rocks.

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• Chemical weathering breaks down rocks one atom at a time, dissolving minerals or changing one mineral into a more stable one

• Usually occurs by water

• Dissolution- tears mineral grains apart and carries away the ions

• Think of salt dissolving in water• The reason for caves

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• Oxidation- When oxygen chemically reacts with a mineral

• Example:Rust

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