Introduction to Weathering and Erosion Weathering and Erosion

Introduction to Weathering and Erosion

Weathering and Erosion ● Weathering = change the appearance of something through long exposure of air/water/nature ● Erosion = removing pieces of rocks and transporting them to another by wind and water.

Types of Weathering ● Physical ● Biological ● Chemical

Physical Weathering ● The breaking of rocks by: ● wind or rain contraction water freezing thermal expansion This occurs in regions with extreme temperatures o o

Biological Weathering ● Rocks are broken down by living things or decomposed ● Broken by: o o Lichens Tree roots

Chemical Weathering ● The breaking of rocks when water and rocks interact with each other to create a chemical reaction. ● Rocks are broken by: o o water gases

Erosion ● Erosion is the process by which the surface of the Earth gets worn down caused by natural elements such as wind and glacial ice. ● The key to erosion is something called "fluid flow. " Water, air, and even ice are fluids because they to flow from one place to another.

Compare Weathering and Erosion Similarities ● Weathering and erosion are both natural forces that break down rocks and shape Earth’s surface ● Both are continuous natural processes that happen over time

Contrast Weathering and Erosion Differences: ● Erosion breaks down rocks but it involves water and wind to move the broken particles to a new location ● Weathering breaks the rocks apart with natural forces but the particles stay next to each other

Erosion

Erosion Lab Objective: Demonstrate how water causes erosion. What to notice: the color changes