2. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
Abrasion –
Carbonation –
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation –
Plants –
Hydrolysis–
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
4. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Abrasion –
Carbonation –
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation –
Plants –
Hydration –
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
6. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Carbonation –
Abrasion –
Bump & Grind (streams/wind)
smooth rounded particles
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation –
Plants –
Hydration –
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
9. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Carbonation –
Abrasion –
Bump & Grind (streams/wind)
Smooth, rounded particles
Oxidation –
Frost Wedging – water
seeps into the cracks in a rock and
freezes causing the ice to expand
Hydrolysis–
Plants –
Acid Rain Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
11. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Carbonation –
Abrasion –
Bump & Grind (streams/wind)
Frost Wedging – water
Oxidation –
seeps into the cracks in a rock and
freezes causing the ice to expand
Plants – roots wedge into
rock and grow (expand)
Hydrolysis–
Exfoliation -
Acid Rain -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
14. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical –
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Carbonation –
Abrasion –
Bump & Grind (streams/wind)
Frost Wedging – water
Oxidation –
seeps into the cracks in a rock and
freezes causing the ice to expand
Plants – roots wedge into
rock and grow (expand)
Hydrolysis–
Exfoliation – Freeze &
Thaw causes rock to “peel”
Acid Rain -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
15. Types of Weathering
Chemical – Any
process that causes
rocks to breakdown by
chemical action and
results in a change in the
minerals (chemical
composition).
Created by L. Zimmerman
16. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical – involves water
+ it changes the rocks
chemical composition
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Abrasion –
Carbonation –
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation –
Plants –
Hydration –
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
17. Chemical Weathering
Carbonation –
carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere
dissolves in the droplets of water
that make-up clouds.
This forms a weak carbonic acid.
Carbonic acid reacts with certain
rocks and minerals which
include: calcite, limestone,
marble and chalk.
Created by L. Zimmerman
18. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical – involves water
+ it changes the rocks
chemical composition
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Abrasion –
Carbonation – CO2 + H2O
form weak acid that
dissolves limestone
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation –
Plants –
Hydrolysis–
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
21. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical – involves water
+ it changes the rocks
chemical composition
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Abrasion –
Carbonation – CO2 + H2O
form weak acid that
dissolves limestone
Frost Wedging –
Oxidation – Rust
Plants –
Hydration – Water
dissolves mineral to clay
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
Created by L. Zimmerman
22. Chemical Weathering
Acid Rain – Gases
produced by humans
can dissolve in the
water droplets of a
cloud to produce acid
rain.
These acids include:
H2SO4 – sulfuric acid
HNO3 – nitric acid
23. Cleopatra’s Needle
Over 3,400 years
old & made of
limestone –
Installed in London
and NYC in 1880’s
Photo shows before
and after and effects
of acid rain and
rates of weathering!
24. Physical (AKA – Mechanical) –
Chemical – involves water
+ it changes the rocks
chemical composition
causes a rock to crack or break
into pieces without changing it
chemically
Abrasion –
Carbonation – CO2 + H2O
form weak acid that
dissolves limestone
Oxidation – Rust
Hydrolysis – Water
dissolves mineral to clay
Acid Rain – pollution
combines with water
vapor produces weak acid
that dissolves rocks.
Frost Wedging –
Plants –
Exfoliation -
=
the breaking of rock into smaller particles called sediment.
25. Rates of
Weathering
SLOW
FAST
Climate
Warm & Wet = fast chemical
Cold & Wet = fast physical
Temp &
Moisture
Rock Type
Sedimentary
Shale/siltstone – conglomerate - limestone
Sandstone
Dolostone
Created by L. Zimmerman
Cold/Warm & Dry
Igneous & Metamorphic
27. Rates of Weathering
Due to climate and different weathering
processes, landscapes develop differently.
Arid Climate
– angular,
sharp edges,
little
vegetation
29. Rates of Weathering
Rock Types – cause softer, less resistant rocks to wear
away, leaving harder, more resistant rocks behind.
Limestone (A) is most resistant
Shale (B) is least resistant
Created by L. Zimmerman
30. Rates of Weathering
Looking Glass Falls near Ashville shows differential weathering.
Created by L. Zimmerman
32. Rates of Weathering
Particle Size – As a rock breaks into smaller
pieces, the surface area increases, and therefore
the rate of weathering increases.
33. Products of Weathering
Solid Sediments
Size by name and number
Colloids
• very small solid particles and too light to settle in water.
34. Products of Weathering
Dissolved Minerals – cause the “hardness” in
groundwater (and surface water).
It may mean
calcium and lime
deposits on your
shower or if you
have a well, sulfur
and rust stains in
the sink.
35. Chemical Weathering
Carbonation –
carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere
dissolves in the droplets of water
that make-up clouds.
This forms a weak carbonic acid.
Carbonic acid reacts with certain
rocks and minerals which
include: calcite, limestone,
marble and chalk.
40. Soil Formation
Soil Profile
Climate is one of the most
important factors in formation of
Soil.
Soil
Soil varies in composition,
texture, structure, and color at
different depths.
These differences help divide
the soil into zones known as
Horizons.
Horizons
A side view of these horizons
create a soil PROFILE.
PROFILE
41. Soil Composition
O Horizon: organic matter that has fallen on
the ground and is decaying
A Horizon: topsoil (aka humus). This is the
zone where surface water leaches into the
layers below.
B Horizon: subsoil (aka regolith). Layer
immediately below the topsoil.
This layer gets nutrients through the process
known as LEACHING, when water flows
through the topsoil and pulls nutrients down
with it.
C Horizon: partially weathered rock. This
is the bottom layer of soil. Below it is solid
bedrock.
42. Life in Soil
Some organisms mix the soil and
make spaces in it for air and water.
Other soil organisms make humus,
the material that makes soil fertile.
Humus forms through decomposition.
Fertile soil is rich in nutrients that plants
need.
43. Soil Conservation
Soil is one of Earth’s most valuable
resources because everything that
lives on the land depends directly or
indirectly on soil.
Fertile soil is valuable because there is a
limited supply.
Less than 1/8th of the land on Earth has soils
well suited for farming.
farming
44. Soil Damage and Loss
Soil can become exhausted, or lose its fertility.
Accelerated Soil Erosion
Unwise Clearing and Farming methods increase soil erosion. For example,
clearing forests and containing animals to small pastures destroys the soil
protection of plants
46. Three Examples of Accelerated Soil Erosion:
Deforestation - ( clearing trees )
Gullying – furrows in plowed land which causes water
to run faster over the soil
Climate Changes – excessive rain or wind
Soil Conservation
Intercropping: crops planted in alternating bands
Intercropping
Contour Plowing: soil plowed in circular motion with the
Plowing
lay of the land
Terracing: step-like ridges in sides of hills
Terracing
Crop Rotation: planting one crop one year and a
Rotation
different one next year
47. Contour Plowing
Contour plowing is the
practice of plowing
fields along the
contours of a slope.
This helps slow the
runoff of excess rainfall
and prevents it from
washing the soil away.
48. Conservation Plowing
Conservation Plowing disturbs the soil and its
plant cover as little as possible.
Dead weeds and stalks of the previous year’s
crop are left in the ground to help return soil
nutrients.
50. Erosion by Gravity
•The movement of SOIL particles and Rock fragments is called MASS
Wasting.
Wasting
•TALUS : rock fragments that gather at the bottom of the slope.
• Rapid Mass Movements
• ROCKFALL: rocks falling from a steep cliff
ROCKFALL
•ROCK SLIDE: loose rock and soil moving down a slope
SLIDE
•MUD FLOW: rapid movement of mud
FLOW
•SLUMP: large block of soil moving downhill in one piece
SLUMP
Created by L. Zimmerman
54. Vertical Sorting –
In a quiet body of
water
Loss of velocity
Big gets dropped first
Water Deposits
•Well Sorted
•Rounded
•Smooth
•Abrasion
Horizontal Sorting –
Stream enters lake
Loses velocity
Sediments deposited
Big – close to shore
Small – Far from shore
Factors affecting
Deposition:
SIZE
Velocity
Shape
Gradient
Density
Discharge
Deposition
The settling or dropping of
particles after being picked
up by an agent of erosion
Wind works the same way
55. Deposition
Size – As the size of sediment increases, the rate of
deposition increases.
Created by L. Zimmerman
56. Deposition
Density – As the density of
sediment increases, the rate
of deposition increases.
Shape – The flatter the
particle the slower the
deposition.
Created by L. Zimmerman
57. Deposition
As Velocity goes up – Erosion goes up and Deposition
goes down
As Gradient gets steeper – Erosion goes up and
Deposition goes down
As Discharge increases – Erosion goes up.
up
Created by L. Zimmerman
58. Deposition
When a stream enters a
body of water, its
speed will
decrease, and
therefore the
deposition of
sediments occurs.
A deposit at the mouth of
a stream where it
enters a large body
of water is called a
delta.
59. Deposition
A delta is an example of the horizontal deposition of
sediments in the water.
Boulders
Cobbles
Evidence of
Sorted
Sediment
Pebbles
Clay
Created by L. Zimmerman
60. Wind Deposits
Velocity = FAST - Erosion
•Similar to water
•Loss of velocity
will result in
deposition by size
•Well sorted
•Graded bedding
Velocity = Slow - Deposition
Created by L. Zimmerman
65. Erosional/Depositional Systems - Rivers
Outside of the curve=
velocity increase =
more erosion.
Inside of the curve=
velocity decrease =
deposition.
Created by L. Zimmerman
68. Erosional/Depositional Systems - Glaciers
Glaciers can really
move a lot of material,
material
dramatically changing
the surface of the earth.
2 Types:
Continental – covered
North America over
10,000 years ago and
is the cause of finger
lakes and Morraines
(like Long Island)!
Alpine – in mountains
Created by L. Zimmerman
Create U-Shaped valleys
70. Erosional/Depositional Systems - Glaciers
Continental Glacier
Moved from
the north
(pole) to the
south
GLACIERS
Features:
Unsorted, loose deposits
Ground up rock flour or glacial till
Moraines
U-shape Valleys
Kettle lakes, drumlins, outwash plains
Move downhill!
Alpine Glacier
Created by L. Zimmerman
71. Erosional/Depositional Systems - Glaciers
Glacial Features
A.
Terminal Moraine
Lateral Moraine
Glacial stream
Outwash plains
Braided streams
U- Shaped Valleys
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Created by L. Zimmerman
75. Landscape Development
How is the Earth’s surface shaped by weathering,
erosion and deposition?
Created by L. Zimmerman
76. Landscape Development
Landscape: A region on the Earth’s surface in which physical
features, such as hills, valleys, and streams are related by a
common origin (it simply means “scenery”)
Three (3) main types: Mountains, Plains and Plateaus
Created by L. Zimmerman
77. Landscape Development
Mountains
Greatest relief between their
peaks and valleys
Created by tectonic forces
(igneous and metamorphic
rocks)
Steep mountain slopes
have fast erosive streams
acting on them, creating
deep valleys and
waterfalls
Created by L. Zimmerman
