W E AT H E R I N G
Dr. V. R Ghodake
SCOE, Pune.
Weathering
Weathering is the disintegration or
breakdown of rock material.
Mechanical Weathering: no change in chemical
composition-just disintegration into smaller pieces
MECHANICAL WEATHERING/ PHYSICAL WEATHERING
• Process by which rocks are broken down into
smaller pieces by external conditions.
• Types of Physical weathering
• Frost wedging and frost heaving
• Plant roots
• Friction and impact
• Digging by animals
• Temperature changes
FROST WEDGING: ROCK BREAKDOWN
CAUSED BY EXPANSION OF ICE IN CRACKS
AND JOINTS
Frost Action
FROST WEDGING
Shattered rocks are
common in cold and
alpine environments,
where repeated
process of freezing
effect breaks the rocks
gradually in smaller
fragments and
disintegration process
occurs.
FROST HEAVING
Breaking of Rocks by Thermal Process
Thermal expansion
due to the extreme
range of temperatures
can shatter rocks in
desert environments.
Repeated swelling and
shrinking of minerals
with different
expansion rates will
also shatter rocks.
Weathering due to Plants
PLANT ROOTS
FRICTION AND REPEATED IMPACT
BURROWING OF ANIMALS
TEMPERATURE CHANGES
MECHANICAL WEATHERING
Exfoliation:
Rock breaks apart in layers that are parallel to the earth's surface; as rock is
uncovered, it expands (due to the lower confining pressure) resulting in exfoliation.
Mechanical Weathering
SHEET JOINTS
EXFOLIATION)
Exfoliation
EXFOLIATED DOMES,
Stone Mountain, Georgia, showing the product of
exfoliation due to unloading
CHEMICAL WEATHERING
• The process that breaks down rock through
chemical changes or rock get decomposes called
as chemical weathering.
• The agents of chemical weathering
• Water
• Oxygen
• Carbon dioxide
• Living organisms
• Acid rain
Chemical Weathering
Water is the main operator:
Dissolution
Many ionic and organic compounds dissolve in
water
Silica, K, Na, Mg, Ca, Cl, CO3, SO4
Acid Reactions
Water + carbon dioxide <---> carbonic acid
Water + sulfur <---> sulfuric acid
H+ effective at breaking down minerals
Dissolution
H2O + CO2 + CaCO3 --> Ca+2 + 2HCO3-
water + carbon dioxide + calcite
dissolve into calcium ion
and bicarbonate ion
Biological activity in soils
generates substantial CO2
Bicarbonate is the dominant
ion in surface runoff.
Chemical Weathering
Oxidation
Oxygen dissolved in water promotes oxidation of
sulfides, ferrous oxides, native metals
Organic Activity
Plant material makes H+ ions available
Chemical Weathering
Hydration: attachment of water
molecules to crystalline structure of a
rock, causing expansion and weakness
Hydrolysis: combination of hydrogen
and oxygen in water with rock to form
new substances
Chemical Weathering
Solution: process by which rock is dissolved in
water
Is strongly influenced by pH and
temperature
When water becomes saturated, chemicals
may precipitate out forming evaporite
deposits.
Calcium carbonate (calcite, limestone),
sodium chloride (salt), and calcium sulfate
(gypsum) are particularly undergoes to
solution weathering
WATER
• Water weathers rock by dissolving it
The rocks like Limestone, Marble, Dolomite are
soluble in the water
OXIDATION
• Iron combines with oxygen
in the presence of water in
a processes called
oxidation
• The product of oxidation is
rusting
CARBON DIOXIDE
• CO2 dissolves in rain water and creates carbonic acid
• Carbonic acid easily weathers limestone and marble
ACID RAIN
• Compounds from burning coal, oil and gas react chemically
with water forming acids.
• Acid rain causes very rapid chemical weathering
‘Karst’ landforms develop in
areas underlain with
limestone
Karst
Topography
Development of
Underground caves
FEATURES OF KARST: CAVES
Sink Hole formation
BIOLOGICAL
WEATHERING
Can be both chemical and
mechanical in nature.
• roots split rocks apart
• roots produce acids
that dissolve rocks.
• tree throw
• burrowing animals
I hope you understand the weather
Thank You
