WEATHER

PROCESSES

WEATHERING
It

is a general term and applied to the

combine action of all processes causing
rocks disintegration physically and
decomposition chemically.
It is theprocessof weakening rock and
producing a rock waste or soil
cover.Weatheringoccurs whenrocks
and minerals comes in contact with the
atmosphere, organic life and suicidal
water.

Factors responsible for the

weakening of rock are:
A

part of rainfall always snips into the soil on the

covered rocks and looses the rock particle by dissolving
it.
Frost action also takes place in the for-spaces of rocks
and causes disintegration and splitting of rocks into
fragments.
Chemicalreactions are also taking place in rocks
internally and causing rock-loosening.
Slow geologicalprocessof construction and destruction
is going on the surface of earth for millions of years
because earth is old enough and has been completely
leveled by weatheringand erosion. Factors affecting
rockweathering.

Rock structure and composition

Rock composition
e.g. acidic rocks weather more quickly than
basic ones.
Climate
the meteorologicalelementseffect onrocks
such as moisture, temperature, and wind and air
pressure.
Topography
exposing rocks to the temperature or sun and
wind.
Vegetation
are protected fromweatheringbut bare
surfaces are weathered to great extent.

TWO TYPES OF WEATHERING:

Physical weathering:
Frost

action
Heating and cooling
Organisms

Chemical weathering:
Carbonation
Hydrolysis
Oxidation
Solution
Hydration