Weathering, soil formation, & erosion processes
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Water, temperature changes, and chemical reactions are key factors in weathering and erosion. Water is particularly powerful in mechanically and chemically breaking down rock. Moving water, glaciers, wind, and gravity transport eroded materials and deposit them elsewhere. Over time, this leads to soil formation and changes in landforms, as seen with caves and karst topography. Different soil types such as loess are suitable for certain agricultural uses. Plant roots and acids like acid rain also contribute to chemical weathering of rocks.
Weathering, soil formation, & erosion processes
- 1. Weathering, Soil Formation & Erosion Processes by Ann C Cloutier 2011 Earth & Space
- 2. Can you hypothesize how the circle shapes were made ? ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 3. Water is a powerful force in chemical and physical (mechanical) weathering • Temperature and pressure are major factors in the process of mechanical weathering • Changes in temperature can cause a rock to split • Chemical weathering is a reaction between the rocks and water • It can result in the formation of new rocks and minerals ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 4. Agents of erosion erosion is the process that moves weathered pieces of rocks to new locations (transport and deposition) • Moving water in streams and oceans • Glaciers* • Wind • Gravity • Gravity is the force behind most agents of erosion ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 5. Caves and Karst topography are examples of chemical erosion and the new formation of other rock types ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 6. Soil Horizons soil is made up of weathered rocks and humus, which is decayed organic matter in soil ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 7. Loess soil is great for the “Bread Basket” USA agricultural crops • Soil is residual or transported • Residual soil remains on top of its parent rock • Transported soil is moved to a location away from its parent bedrock by water, wind and glaciers ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 8. Plant acids, roots, acid rain = chemical weathering ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 9. Who are the agents of erosion ? • Wind • Particles and sediments must be very tiny <2mm for the wind to pick up • Water is fluid and flows downward; • Water depending on the volume of water, the slope it is descending and its velocity, will determine how and what it can move • Gravity • Gravity makes rocks and sediments roll downward; usually unsorted and mixed particle sizes • Glaciers are the BIG movers and • Glaciers shakers of land formation; Sheets of glacial ice can sandpaper bedrocks, make grooves, pluck mountain tops off and mix everything up ann c cloutier 2011 copyright
- 10. The end of acid rain ? ann c cloutier 2011 copyright