Category Archive
The following is a list of all entries from the Geography category.
Weathering
1. Climate is the most important factor affecting weathering.
We believe that climate is the most important factor affecting weathering.
We can prove this because if a biome’s climate has high average temperatures and a high annual rainfall, there is a stronger chemical weathering as there is more rain and heat in its environment. More rain results in the area having more water which sweeps away sediments and gives a larger chance of acid rain.
2. Mineral composition, grain size of the rock and the presence of lines of weakness affect the rate of weathering
If the mineral composition of a rock and the chemical bonding is weak then factors such as water, wind, and ice can easily weather it away as can continuous temperature changes. The grain size of the rock affect the rate of the weathering as well because the bigger the size, longer it takes to break down. Presence of lines of weakness influences how much water can get through and how easily it can break the rock down.
Chemical weathering
Chemical weathering changes the composition of a rock, usually breaking down the chemical bonds. Chemical weathering most often happens when there is a direct effect between atmospheric chemicals or biological chemicals including heat, water, ice, pressure that break down rocks and other sediments.
-Acid rain when is rained down, breaks down rocks such as limestone.
- Carbonation is when carbonation combines with other things in the atmophere to cause carbonic acid and reacts with rocks.
-Oxidation is when oxygen reacts with other metals and rocks (most commonly iron) and oxidzes to produce rust.
Physical weathering
- There are two types of Crystallization weathering. Ice Crystallization happens when water seeps into a crack in a rock and freezes due to water expanding when it freezes. This process widens the crack in the rock causing it to break apart. Salt crystallization occurs when saline solution gets into a crack in a rock and crystallizes due to change in temperatures. This expands and widens the fissure in the rock until it breaks. This process is more likely to primarily happen in coastal regions and hot, arid climates.
- Frost Shattering occurs in cold temperature regions and where temperature reaches above and below freezing point. Water fills the cracks and joints in the rock and freezes. This repeated process of freeze and thaw will eventually shatter the rock along the cracks.
