Weathering, Erosion and Deposition
Shaping the Earth s Surface Weathering the process of breaking down rocks into smaller fragments Erosion the transport of rock fragments from one location to another Deposition the settling of rock fragments in a new location
Weathering Breakdown of earth materials, brought about by weather at the earth s surface There are three types of weathering: Physical Chemical Biological
Physical Weathering rocks are broken down by physical means (there is no change in the chemicals making up the rock)
Ice Wedging Water fills cracks in rocks, then freezes As water freezes, it expands and pushes the rock apart.
Wetting and Drying Clays swell and shrink, causing rocks to fall apart.
Wind and water effects Wind and water move sand and small rocks around, rubbing them against each other until they gradually wear into smaller fragments.
Chemical Weathering Rocks are broken down by chemical reactions, which causes the rocks to change their composition and become weaker.
Chemicals in rain, snow and air break down some minerals in rocks.
Some minerals such as feldspar, hornblende and augite react with water to form clays (hydrolysis).
Oxygen from air combines with iron in some minerals to form rust (resulting in red soil - oxidation).
Many minerals, such as limestone and marble, dissolve easily in weak acids such as rainwater. Rainwater is usually slightly acidic because carbon dioxide dissolves in it to form carbonic acid. Acid rain forms stronger acids which can speed up the rate of chemical weathering.
Biological Weathering If physical or chemical weathering has been caused by a plant or animal, the process is sometimes referred to as biological weathering.
Plant seeds or roots may grow in tiny cracks in rocks. As the plant grows, it cracks the rock.
Burrowing animals move rocks around and can expose new rock surfaces to weathering. Rotting vegetation forms acids which also lead to chemical weathering.
Weathering and Minerals Quartz is very resistant to weathering (doesn t react with water, oxygen or acids, and has no cleavage). Other rock-forming minerals (feldspar, horneblende, mica, augite, calcite) are easily mechanically weathered into small fragments and chemically weathered into clay. Calcite, gypsum and halite can also be dissolved in water.
Weathering and Rocks IGNEOUS ROCKS weather faster in wet climates due to ice wedging and hydrolysis. They generally weather into clay minerals with quartz pebbles and sand.
Weathering and Rocks SEDIMENTARY ROCKS are only as durable as the cements that hold them together; calcite cement weathers quickly while silica cement is VERY durable.
Weathering and Rocks METAMORPHIC ROCKS are resistant to mechanical weathering, but susceptible to chemical weathering; for example, marble is a great building material in a dry climate, but not a wet one!
RATE OF WEATHERING DEPENDS ON: type of rock amount of rock surface exposed climate (warm and wet vs. cold and dry)
SOILS loose, weathered rock and organic material in which plants with roots can grow. Composed of sand, silt and clay. Composition varies by location Always a precious resource!
Parent material rock from which the soil is formed Residual soil soil formed from underlying bedrock Transported soil deposited by wind, rivers or glaciers.
Types of Soil Sandy soil allows water to pass quickly through it Clay-rich soil holds water, forming a thick muc Soil with some clay and some sand is called loam Loam is usually the best soil for farming
Soil Profile Cross-section of earth which shows the layers of soil
3 distinct zones in mature soils 1) A- Horizon: Topsoil dark coloured (gray or black) contains humus (remains of plants and animals broken down by bacteria)
2) B-Horizon: Subsoil Lighter-coloured (red or brown) Often has more clay than topsoil, since rainfall has washed it downwards
3) C-Horizon: Weathered rock Mixture of soil and weathered rock directly above bedrock
Erosion, Deposition and the Landscape Erosion is the movement of weathered rock from one place to another. Causes of erosion include moving water, moving ice (glaciers), wind, and gravity (i.e., landslides).
moving water, glaciers and wind can also deposit the materials they pick up Deposition is when eroded rock material stops moving and settles (making deposits ).
Landscapes formed by Moving Water sediment (bits of weathered rock) can be carried long distances by moving water before being deposited at another location Over millions of years, rivers can transport billions of tonnes of sand, gravel and mud.
Running water, using sand and pebbles as cutting tools, wears away at the river bed in a process called abrasion. Rivers abrade the land on its sides as it flows, making a deeper and deeper valley over time.
River Valleys Young river valleys are narrow, fast-flowing and straight. Old river valleys have eroded sides and are v- shaped When a river crosses a flat region, it slows down and develops wide, shallow valleys
Rate of erosion of the river valley depends on: Slope of the valley Amount of water Speed of the water Type of rock in the valley
Floods and Flood Plains A flood plain is the flat land beside a river that is covered by water during flooding As flood water drains away, fine mud from the floodwater is deposited on the flood plain.
The buildup of mud produces a rich soil which can be valuable for agriculture Dams and raised banks (dykes) are often used to prevent flooding, but if water rises too high the flood may break through them
Deltas As rivers flow into lakes and oceans, the flow of water suddenly slows down Sediments are deposited when the water slows The sediments build up at the mouth of the river and fan out into a giant triangle shape called a delta
Landscapes formed by Glaciers 2/3 of Earth s fresh water is trapped in large masses of snow and ice called glaciers glaciers form when more snow falls than melts every year, causing it to build up over time
Glaciers advance when ice builds up faster than it melts so that the ice creeps further down into a valley Glaciers retreat when temperatures begin to shrink glaciers. NOTE: they don t actually retreat the leading edge melts away.
Types of Glaciers Large ice sheets, called continental glaciers, cover both the Earth s poles, in Greenland and Antarctica Alpine (or valley) glaciers form in mountain areas, and slowly slide down the mountain due forces of gravity
Ice Ages Periods of time when the climate was cooler than it is today Ice sheets and glaciers covered large areas of Europe and North America
Glaciers Erosion as glaciers move, they scrape and erode the ground beneath them scratch marks, called striations, are left on rocks over which a glacier passed.
Erosion Features Cirque Bowl-shaped valley at the head of a glacier
Arête Narrow ridge (high ground) between two cirques
Horn Pyramid-shaped peak located between three cirques
U-Shaped Valley Glaciers grind out large valleys as they are pulled downhill by gravity
Hanging Valley U-shaped valley cut off by a bigger valley created by a larger glacier
Fiord A narrow inlet of ocean between steep cliffs carved by glaciers
Deposition moving water and glaciers can also deposit the materials they pick up
Erratics Large boulder deposited on the ground by a glacier
Eskers Winding ridge of material deposited by a stream running under a glacier
Moraines Ridge of rocky material deposited by a glacier. Can be found at the sides and farthest advance of a glacier.
Outwash Material deposited by water from melting glaciers
Landscapes shaped by Gravity sediments on slopes slowly work their way downwards by the force of gravity creep if wet soil and rock on a slope becomes too heavy, landslides may result
Landscapes Shaped by Wind Air currents can carry rock particles with it. The size of the particles that can be moved depends on the speed of the wind Wind erosion is most common in dry climates and in flat, open areas