Slow Changes - Weathering and Erosion

SLOW CHANGES

+ Info

Week 4 Session 1

BiologicalWeathering

Slow changes are the changes of the Earth's surface that happen over a long period of time and has a process.

WEATHERING

VS

erosion

WEATHERING

PhysicalWeathering

ChemicalWeathering

erosion

Erosion by Water

Erosion by Wind

Erosion by Ice

Slow Changes Wind, water, and ice erode and shape the land through the process of weathering and erosion.

Weathering is breaking down of rocks or soil because of the action of rainwater, extremes of temperature or weather, and biological activity.

Erosion is the movement of weathered materials. In general, erosion means that bits of rock and earth are carried away from their original location

Biological weathering occurs when plants break up rocks with roots. Trees put down roots through joints or cracks in the rock in order to find moisture. As the tree grows the roots push open the cracks and make them wider and deeper. Eventually, pieces of rock may fall away. Biological Weathering Process

Physical weathering is caused by the effects of changing temperature on rocks, causing the rock to break apart. The process is sometimes assisted by water.

Chemical weathering occurs when rocks undergo chemical reactions to form new minerals. Water, acids, and oxygen are just a few of the chemicals that lead to geological change. Over time, chemical weathering can produce dramatic results.

Water erosion is the removal of soil by water and transportation of the eroded materials away from the point of removal.

Wind erosion is a natural process that moves soil from one location to another by wind power. Wind erosion can be caused by a light wind that rolls soil particles along the surface through to a strong wind that lifts a large volume of soil particles into the air to create dust storms.

Ice erosion is the process of large chunks of ice, known as glaciers, eroding an area over a long period of time with the help of gravity. Glaciers erode through one of three different processes, including abrasion, plucking, and thrusting.