WEATHERING - Physical/Mechanical and Chemical

When something causes a piece of rock to break off of the parent rock without changing the properties of the smaller piece. (It is the same as the original rock, just a smaller piece of it.)

• PHYSICAL/MECHANICAL WEATHERING

• CHEMICAL WEATHERING

When a substance (such as water or oxygen) reacts with minerals in a rock and causes the minerals in the rock to form a different kind of mineral. The properties of the new rock is permanently CHANGED from those of the parent rock.

• PHYSICAL/MECHANICAL WEATHERING

• CHEMICAL WEATHERING

A form of physical weathering where water seeps into the cracks of rocks, the water expands when it freezes, and the expansion causes the rock to crack and eventually break apart.

• HYDROLYSIS

• OXIDATION

• EXFOLIATION

• FREEZE-THAW (FROST WEDGING)

When water and oxygen cause a chemical reaction in iron to form rust (iron oxide).

• HYDROLYSIS

• OXIDATION

• EXFOLIATION

• ABRASION

When changes in temperature or release of pressure causes a rock to crack and break apart. This often happens in layers, and is often compared to an "onion skin."

• FROST WEDGING

• EXFOLIATION

• ABRASION

• OXIDATION

The details of this statue have been worn away most likely due to ________________.

• CHEMICAL WEATHERING

• PHYSICAL WEATHERING

Abrasion is a type of physical/mechanical weathering. The rock in this image was most likely worn away by _____________.

• WATER ABRASION

• WIND ABRASION

As rocks tumble along with moving water, the edges end up getting smoothed and rounded. This is an example of _____________.

• WATER ABRASION

• WIND ABRASION

• HYDROLYSIS

• EXFOLIATION

TRUE OR FALSE:

The four main things that cause EROSION are: GRAVITY WIND, WATER, ICE.

• FALSE

• TRUE

Which river would experience the MOST erosion?

• A river with FAST-MOVING water

• A river with SLOW-MOVING water