LESSON CONTENT
Weathering refers to the breakdown of rocks at or near the surface “in situ” (in their
original place) by agents such as temperature changes, water and ice. There are
three main types of weathering. They are mechanical, chemical and biotic
weathering.
Erosion: The process where weathered rock particles are transported by wind,
water, ice, or biological activity from their original location to a new location.
In-situ: A Latin term meaning "in place." In geology, it refers to the weathering that
happens without the movement of the material.
Ex-situ: In contrast to in-situ, this term refers to materials that have been moved
from their original location due to erosion or other processes.
Mechanical/Physical Weathering
This refers to the physical breakdown of rock without a change in the mineral
composition of the rock. This type of weathering normally occurs in cold and
temperate climates, mountains. Mechanical weathering results in rocks being broken
down into smaller pieces without any chemical changes taking place within the rock.
Some mechanical weathering processes include:
1. Frost Action/Freeze-thaw: This form of weathering is also known as freeze-
thaw action. It occurs in areas where the temperature fluctuates around zero
degrees Celsius for at least part of the year. Water may find its way into
cracks and joints in the rock when the temperature rises above freezing.
When the temperature dips below zero degrees Celsius, the water freezes
and expands, exerting pressure on the rock and widening the cracks. This
process is repeated over and over until the pressure exerted by the ice
eventually shatters the rock.
2. Temperature Change/Exfoliation: This occurs in places which have a large
daily temperature range, such as the Sahara Desert. A little known fact about
deserts is that they are very cold at night. During the day, the high
temperatures cause rocks to expand slightly. During the night, the low
temperatures cause rocks to contract slightly. Repeated expansion and
contraction causes cracks to form within the rocks and eventually they will
begin to fall apart.
Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering refers to the breakdown of rocks due to chemical changes in
the minerals which they are made up of. Forms of chemical weathering include:
1. Hydrolysis: This is the result of chemical reactions between water and
minerals in the rock. These reactions change the chemical composition of the
minerals. For instance the process of hydrolysis changes feldspar, olivine and
pyroxene into clay minerals.
2. Carbonation: Rainwater or groundwater may absorb carbon dioxide,
becoming a weak acidic solution. This solution is very effective at dissolving
calcium based rocks such as limestone. Carbonation is often responsible for
the formation of caves in limestone areas.
Biotic Weathering
Biotic weathering refers to the role plants and animals play in breaking down rock.
Burrowing animals often aid in the breakdown of rock. Birds called sand martins
often burrow into sandstone cliffs to build their nests. Also, the roots of plants may
force their way into cracks in rock, thereby expanding them and eventually breaking
the rock apart. The photo below shows a plant growing on rock just on the outskirts
of the town of Soufriere in St. Lucia.
Plant growing on rock
A closer look reveals that the roots of the plant are growing into the rock and prying it
apart. This is clearly shown in the photo below.
Roots growing into rock
***Diagrams of the processes will be taken from the Geography for CSEC textbook.***
