The breakdown or alteration of rocks, soils, and minerals through exposure to water, gases, sunlight, or organisms, generally in place.

What does in situ mean in the context of weathering?

It means that breakdown occurs on-site, with little or no movement of the material.

How is erosion different from weathering?

Weathering breaks down or alters material in place; erosion transports material by agents such as water, ice, wind, waves, or gravity.

What are the two broad categories of weathering?

Physical weathering breaks rock into smaller pieces without chemical change. Chemical weathering changes the composition of minerals through reactions.

Why is weathering important to the rock cycle?

It produces material that can combine with organic matter to form soil and can later be transported, deposited, and made into sedimentary rock.

Physical geographyLesson 2 of 4 in the course Landforms and geomorphology

Weathering: Processes, Products, and Landscape Effects

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Weathering is the deterioration or breakdown of rocks, soils, and minerals through contact with water, atmospheric gases, sunlight, and living organisms. It can also affect materials such as wood and artificial building materials.

Weathering occurs in situ, meaning that the material breaks down in place with little or no movement. The rock may become fractured or chemically altered, but weathering itself does not transport it elsewhere.

All flashcards

What is weathering?: The breakdown or alteration of rocks, soils, and minerals through exposure to water, gases, sunlight, or organisms, generally in place.
What does in situ mean in the context of weathering?: It means that breakdown occurs on-site, with little or no movement of the material.
How is erosion different from weathering?: Weathering breaks down or alters material in place; erosion transports material by agents such as water, ice, wind, waves, or gravity.
What are the two broad categories of weathering?: Physical weathering breaks rock into smaller pieces without chemical change. Chemical weathering changes the composition of minerals through reactions.
Why is weathering important to the rock cycle?: It produces material that can combine with organic matter to form soil and can later be transported, deposited, and made into sedimentary rock.

Quiz questions

Which conditions favor frost wedging in cracks within rock?Answer: Nearly saturated rock with repeated freezing and thawing
What can pressure release produce as overlying rock is removed?Answer: Fractures parallel to the surface and sheets that peel away
What commonly happens to iron during oxidation of iron-bearing minerals?Answer: Iron in the Fe²⁺ state changes into Fe³⁺ oxides or hydroxides
What is lichen plucking?Answer: Hyphae pry mineral grains loose from rock
What is a paleosol?Answer: A fossil soil preserved in the geologic record

Based on the Wikipedia article Weathering, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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