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Chapter 16:
WEATHERING and SOIL FORMATION

Lecture Outline
1. Weathering
2. Controls on weathering
3. Chemical weathering
4. Physical weathering
5. Soil: the residue of weathering

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1. Weathering, erosion, and the rock

cycle
Weathering produces all the soils, clays, sediments,
and dissolved substances. A main process in the rock
cycle.
Erosion is the removal of sediments by natural
processes such as wind and rivers.
Mass wasting is the downslope movement of masses
of Earth materials.
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2. Controls on weathering

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3. Chemical weathering

Occurs when minerals react

with air and water
role of water (hydrolysis)
Oxidation
carbon dioxide (carbonic
acid)
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3. Chemical weathering:
the disintegration of granite
Feldspar
Magnetite
Biotite
Granite is made up
of several minerals
that decay at
different rates.

Quartz

Role of increasing surface area

small rocks weather
more quickly.

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3. Chemical
weathering:
carbon dioxide

Conversion of
Microcline to
Kaolinite

2KAlSi3O8 + 2H2CO3 + 9H2O

Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + 4H4SiO4 + 2K+ + 2HCO38

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3. Chemical weathering:
carbon dioxide

Compare
with Bowens
reaction
series

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Pyroxene dissolves,
releasing silica and
ferrous iron.

Ferrous iron is oxidized,

forming ferric iron.

Ferric iron precipitates

a solid, iron oxide.

Pyroxene (FeSiO3)

Chemical
weathering:
iron and
oxygen

Silica Ferrous
iron

Ferric iron

Iron oxide (hematite)

Fe2O3
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3. Chemical weathering: red means iron

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4. Physical weatheringMechanical Disintegration

What determines how rock breaks?

natural zones of weakness

frost wedging
exfoliation
activity of organisms
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3. Granite Grus

Granite

Partially-Weathered
2. Partially-Weathered
Granite
Granite

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4. Physical weathering: frost wedging

Due to repeated freeze-thaw cycle of water in extreme climates,

where temperature fluctuate above and below freezing point
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4. Physical weathering: joints in rocks

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4. Physical weathering: tree roots

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4. Physical weathering: exfoliation

onion-skin weathering
Due to differential heating and cooling or due to pressure release
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4. Physical weathering: Gullying

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Physical Weathering: Bryce Canyon, Utah,

USA

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4. Physical vs. chemical weathering

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4. Physical/Chemical Weathering

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5. Soil: the residue of weathering

Soils as geosystems
Soil Definition:
Soil scientist view: solid earth material
altered by physical, chemical & organic
processes, on which plant grows.
Engineering view: any solid earth material
that can be removed without blasting.
Regardless of definition, soil forms from a
complex interaction between earth materials,
climate, and organisms acting over time.

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What are the materials that form

Soil?

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Parent material (bedrock) undergoes weathering

to become regolith (soil + saprolite).

Soil

Saprolite

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5. Soil: the residue of weathering

Soils as geosystems
Transformations: The basic soilforming processes result in losses
and additions.
Translocations: lateral and vertical
movements of material within the soil.
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Losses

Additions
Organic
material
Airborne
dust

Water
erosion

Chemicals
and
minerals
from
bedrock

Wind
Leaching

Minerals are transformed

into other minerals.

Minerals, grains,
and aggregates
may move
through the soil.
(TRANSLOCATION)

Other minerals
precipitate from fluids.
(TRANSFORMATION)

Transformation and translocation

occur throughout the soil profile.

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Typical Soil Profile

Distinct layering parallel to surface in a soil profile are called soil horizons.

Horizons:
-

O: dark brown/black, primarily

composed of organic matter
A: light brown to black,
minerals+organics.
E: light-colored layer resulting from
leaching of clay, Ca, Mg, Fe in A-layer.

- B: enriched in clay, Fe-oxide, silica,

carbonate leached from above.
- C: partially altered (weathered) parent
material.

- R: Unaltered (unweathered) parent

material.
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5. Soil Forming Factors

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Paleosols ancient soils

climate history
ancient atmosphere
history of erosion

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Key terms and concepts

Chemical stability
Chemical weathering
Erosion
Exfoliation
Frost wedging
Hematite
Humus
Joint
Kaolinite
Physical weathering
Soil
Soil profile
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