statueGrand Canyon Sand Pile What do These 3 Things Have in Common??

They have all been subjected to the process of WEATHERING

WEATHERING : is THE CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROCESS THAT CHANGES ROCK

For weathering to occur the rocks must be exposed to: WATER (hydrosphere) AIR (atmosphere) ACTION OF HUMANS & OTHER LIVING ORGANISMS

Evidence of Weathering: the end product of the weathering of rock is SEDIMENT

PHYSICAL WEATHERING: ROCKS ARE BROKEN INTO SMALLER PIECES WITHOUT CHANGING THE CHEMICAL NATURE OF THE ROCK

Explain how water and wind can can cause physical weathering in the following ways:

The alternate freezing and thawing of water

WATER EXPANDS WHEN IT FREEZES This is called…….

Ice Wedging or Frost Action

a weathered sidewalk

*ABRASION

RUNNING WATER AND WIND CAN RUB OR WEAR DOWN ROCKS

* BIOLOGIC ACTIVITY

A sidewalk being lifted by the tree roots!!

*Humans can influence the rate of weathering by the use of powerful equipment

If you increase the surface area you will ___________ the rate of weathering increase

Surface area rate of weathering

CHEMICAL WEATHERING : Rocks are broken and the chemical composition is also ___________ CHANGED

OXIDATION OCCURS WHEN __________ FROM AIR COMBINES WITH ___________ TO FORM OXIDES OXYGEN MINERALS RUST

CARBONATION OCCURS WHEN __________ CONTAINING __________ ACID DISSOLVES MINERALS WATER CARBONIC

EX. LIMESTONE CAVES

* POLLUTANTS can speed up the rate of chemical weathering OXIDES OF SULFER AND NITROGEN MAKE RAINWATER UNNATURALLY ACIDIC ACID RAIN

HYDRATION OCCURS WHEN _______ SUCH AS MICA AND FELDSPAR ABSORB ________ AND WEAKEN AND FORM ________ MINERALS WATER CLAY

CLIMATIC EFFECTS ON WEATHERING: PHYSICAL WEATHERING DOMINATES IN COLD, MOIST CLIMATES

CLIMATIC EFFECTS ON WEATHERING: CHEMICAL WEATHERING DOMINATES IN WARM, MOIST CLIMATES

IN GENERAL WHEN THERE IS MORE THERE IS MORE WEATHERING MOISTURE

CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE Central Park

RATE OF WEATHERING ALSO DEPENDS ON: MINERAL COMPOSITION ROCK RESISTANCE (HARDNESS)

SHALE SANDSTONE SHALE SANDSTONE LIMESTONE SHALE DOLOSTONE WHICH ROCK IS THE MOST RESISTANT TO WEATHERING? WATER

SHALE SANDSTONE SHALE SANDSTONE LIMESTONE SHALE DOLOSTONE WHICH ROCK IS THE MOST RESISTANT TO WEATHERING?

SHALE SANDSTONE SHALE SANDSTONE LIMESTONE SHALE WHICH ROCK IS THE LEAST RESISTANT TO WEATHERING? DOLOSTONE

SHALE SANDSTONE SHALE SANDSTONE LIMESTONE SHALE WHICH ROCK IS THE LEAST RESISTANT TO WEATHERING? DOLOSTONE

SOIL FORMATION: SOIL IS THE COMBINATION OF: ROCK PARTICLES MINERALS ORGANIC MATTER

EROSION: TRANSPORT OF SEDIMENTS

AND DEPOSITING THEM ELSEWHERE

EROSION IS DRIVEN BY THE FORCE OF GRAVITY

THE AGENTS OF EROSION ARE:  RUNNING WATER  WIND  MOVING ICE (GLACIERS)

Each Agent of Erosion Produces it’s Own Characteristic shape and Texture in the Sediment :

ROUNDS AND SMOOTHES THE ROCK SURFACE ALSO MAKES IT SMALLER

WIND BLOWN SEDIMENTS FROST AND PIT THE ROCK SURFACE

SMALL SEDIMENTS IN THE GLACIER POLISHES & SMOOTHES THE ROCK SURFACE LARGE SEDIMENTS SCRATCH AND STRIATE THE ROCK SURFACE

FALLEN ROCKS ARE SHARP & ANGULAR

RUNNING WATER The primary agent of erosion is:

Colorado River

Grand Canyon

Niagra Falls