What is weathering? Explain with example
Here the solution is a bit lengthy.If you need a short answer, use the first paragraph.
What is Weathering? Rocks, minerals, soils normally change their structure under the action or influence of certain environmental forces. Biological activity, extreme weather, and agents of erosion such as water, wind and ice are examples of environmental forces that influences the continuous breakdown, wearing away and loosening of rocks and soils. This is what is termed as weathering.
Weathering processes are of three main types: mechanical, organic and chemical weathering.
1)Mechanical or Physical Weathering
Mechanical weathering is also known as physical weathering. Mechanical weathering is the physical breakdown of rocks into smaller and smaller pieces. One of the most common mechanical actions is frost shattering. It happens when water enters the pores and cracks of rocks, then freezes. Frost weathering, frost wedging, ice wedging or cryofracturing is the collective name for several processes where ice is present. These processes include frost shattering, frost-wedging and freeze-thaw weathering.
2)Organic or Biological Weathering
Organic or biological weathering refers to the same thing. It is the disintegration of rocks as a result of the action by living organisms. Trees and other plants can wear away rocks since as they penetrate into the soil and as their roots get bigger, they exert pressure on rocks and makes the cracks wider and deeper. Eventually, the plants break the rocks apart. Some plants also grow within the fissures in the rocks which lead to widening of the fissures and then eventual disintegration.
3)Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering happens when rocks are worn away by chemical changes. The natural chemical reactions within the rocks change the composition of the rocks over time. Because the chemical processes are gradual and ongoing, the mineralogy of rocks changes over time thus making them wear away, dissolve, and disintegrate.
What is Weathering?
Rocks, minerals, soils normally change their structure under the action or influence of certain environmental forces. Biological activity, extreme weather, and agents of erosion such as water, wind and ice are examples of environmental forces that influences the continuous breakdown, wearing away and loosening of rocks and soils. This is what is termed as weathering.
Weathering processes are of three main types: mechanical, organic and chemical weathering.
1)Mechanical or Physical Weathering
Mechanical weathering is also known as physical weathering. Mechanical weathering is the physical breakdown of rocks into smaller and smaller pieces. One of the most common mechanical actions is frost shattering. It happens when water enters the pores and cracks of rocks, then freezes. Frost weathering, frost wedging, ice wedging or cryofracturing is the collective name for several processes where ice is present. These processes include frost shattering, frost-wedging and freeze-thaw weathering.
2)Organic or Biological Weathering
Organic or biological weathering refers to the same thing. It is the disintegration of rocks as a result of the action by living organisms. Trees and other plants can wear away rocks since as they penetrate into the soil and as their roots get bigger, they exert pressure on rocks and makes the cracks wider and deeper. Eventually, the plants break the rocks apart. Some plants also grow within the fissures in the rocks which lead to widening of the fissures and then eventual disintegration.
3)Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering happens when rocks are worn away by chemical changes. The natural chemical reactions within the rocks change the composition of the rocks over time. Because the chemical processes are gradual and ongoing, the mineralogy of rocks changes over time thus making them wear away, dissolve, and disintegrate.
