WEATHERING AND

SOIL FORMATION
Chapter 7
 ROCKS AND
WEATHERING
Chapter 7 Section 1
Effects of Weathering
 Weathering is the process that breaks down
rock and other substances at Earth’s
surface
 Heat, cold, water, and ice all contribute to
weathering
 Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide also contribute
 Forces of weathering break rocks into smaller
and smaller pieces
 Erosion is the movement of rock particles by
wind, water, ice, or gravity
What is the difference between
weathering and erosion?

 Weathering is the process the

process that breaks down rock
and other materials at Earth’s
surface, while erosion is the
movement of rock particles by
wind, water, ice, or gravity
Mechanical Weathering
 Mechanical Weathering- type of weathering in
which rock is physically broken into
smaller pieces
 Mechanical weathering breaks rock into
pieces by freezing and thawing, release of
pressure, growth of plants, actions of
animals, and abrasion
 Abrasion- the grinding away of rock by rock
particles carried by water, ice, wind, or
gravity
 Mechanical weathering works slowly over
time and can wear away whole mountains
 Ice wedging- frozen wedges of ice in rocks
widen and deepen cracks
Chemical Weathering
 Chemical weathering- process that breaks
down rock through chemical changes
 Agents of chemical weathering include water,
oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms,
and acid rain
 Chemical weathering creates holes or soft
spots in rock, and rocks break apart more
easily
  Water  Oxygen

 Water is the most  Oxygen in the air

important agent combines with
of chemical iron causing
weathering oxidation

 Water dissolves rocks 

Living  Organisms
Ro o ts o f o rganisms push 
Carbo n Dioxide into  c rac ks in ro c ks
CO2 disso lve s in rainwate r  Plants ro o ts pro duc e  
and fo rms c arbo nic   we ak acids that 
ac id
slo wly disso lve  ro ck
Carbo nic  ac id e asily 
we athe rs marble  and  Lic he ns­ plant like  
lime sto ne Ac id Rain o rganisms that gro w 
o n ro c ks­ also  pro duc e  
Wate r is the  mo st  we ak ac ids
impo rtant age nt o f 
c he mic al we athe ring
Wate r disso lve s ro c ks
Lichen
Rate of Weathering
 Type of Rock  Climate
 The minerals that  Climate- the average
make up the rock weather conditions
determine how in an area
fast it weathers  Chemical and
mechanical
 Rocks that dissolve weathering occur
easily in water faster in wet
weather more climates
quickly
 Rainfall provides the
 Permeable- a material water needed for
chemical changes
is fully of tiny, as well as for
connected air freezing and
spaces that allow thawing
water to seep
through it  Chemical reactions
occur faster at
 Permeable rock higher
temperatures
weathers at a fast
rate
Review
 1. What factors cause mechanical weathering?
 Freezing and thawing, heating and cooling, growth
of plants, actions of animals, and abrasion

 2. Describe three causes of chemical

weathering.
 Water that dissolves rocks, oxygen causes
oxidation, carbon dioxide dissolves in rainwater, living
organisms, and acid rain

 3. What factors affect the rate of weathering?

 Type of rock and climate

 4. Explain why chemical weathering occurs

faster in hot, wet climates than in cool, dry
climates.
 Rainfall provides the water needed for chemical