Mechanical and chemical weathering, erosion processes, and sediment formation.
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- What is mechanical weathering?
- The breaking down of rock into smaller pieces without changing its chemical composition.
- What is frost wedging?
- A type of mechanical weathering where water freezes in rock cracks and expands, breaking the rock apart.
- What is exfoliation?
- A type of mechanical weathering where sheets of rock peel off due to pressure relief as overlying rock is removed.
- What is abrasion?
- A type of mechanical weathering where rock fragments are worn away by friction and collision with other particles.
- What is chemical weathering?
- The breakdown of rock by changes in its mineral composition through chemical reactions.
- What is hydrolysis?
- A chemical weathering process where water reacts with silicate minerals, breaking them down.
- What is carbonation?
- A chemical weathering process where carbon dioxide dissolved in water reacts with rock, especially limestone.
- What is oxidation in weathering?
- A chemical weathering process where minerals react with oxygen, commonly turning iron-rich rocks reddish brown.
- How does acid rain affect weathering?
- Acid rain (with lower pH from sulfur and nitrogen compounds) accelerates chemical weathering of susceptible rocks.
- What is the primary difference between mechanical and chemical weathering?
- Mechanical weathering breaks rock into smaller pieces without changing composition; chemical weathering alters the rock's mineral makeup.
- Which rock type is most susceptible to exfoliation?
- Granite and other coarse-grained igneous rocks with large mineral crystals.
- Why is water expansion crucial to frost wedging?
- When water freezes, it expands about 9 percent, exerting enormous pressure that widens cracks in rock.
- What is regolith?
- A layer of loose rock fragments and soil overlying solid bedrock, produced by weathering.
- What is erosion?
- The wearing away and removal of rock and soil by agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity.
- How does water cause erosion?
- Flowing water (streams, rivers, runoff) mechanically wears rock surfaces and chemically dissolves soluble minerals.