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Questions and Answers

What is mechanical weathering? Give examples.

Also known as physical weathering, it includes breaking down rocks into smaller pieces. Examples are jointing, frost wedging, root wedging, salt wedging, thermal expansion, and animal attack.

What is chemical weathering? Give examples.

Why is water such a good solvent?

What are erosion and transport?

<p>Erosion is the process that separates rock or regolith from its substrate and carries it away. Transport is the movement of sediment by wind, water, or ice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do particle size, climate, and parent material control the rate of weathering?

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What is spheroidal weathering?

<p>It is a chemical process that occurs in large blocks of rock where onion-like layers form as joints wear away.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is differential weathering?

<p>It occurs when different rocks in an outcrop undergo weathering at different rates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are sedimentary rocks? What are the three types? How do they form? Give examples.

<p>Sedimentary rocks are formed at or near the earth's surface by the cementing together of loose grains, precipitation of minerals from water solutions, cementing of shells, or growth of shell-producing organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is deposition?

<p>The process by which sediment settles out of the transporting material.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is lithification? How can it occur?

<p>Lithification is the transformation of loose sediment into solid rock.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are rounding and sorting? What is meant by a well-sorted or poorly-sorted rock?

<p>Roundness or angularity describes the shape of the corners of rocks. Sorting indicates the degree to which clasts are of similar size.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the different types of detrital particles and their sizes?

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What is jointing?

<p>It is the process of mechanical weathering where overlying rock wears away, causing pressure from underlying rock to decrease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is frost wedging?

<p>It is a mechanical weathering process where water trapped in a joint freezes and forces the joint open.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is root wedging?

<p>It is the process where roots expand and apply pressure, pushing joints open.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a joint?

<p>Natural cracks that form in rocks due to the removal of overburden.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can mechanical weathering enhance chemical weathering?

<p>Mechanical weathering speeds up chemical weathering by increasing the surface area for chemical reactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can chemical weathering enhance mechanical weathering?

<p>Chemical weathering weakens rock, breaks it apart, and increases surface area for further chemical reactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is clastic sedimentary rock?

<p>It consists of cemented-together solid fragments and grains derived from preexisting rocks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is biochemical sedimentary rock?

<p>It consists of shells.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is organic sedimentary rock?

<p>It consists of carbon-rich relicts of plants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is chemical sedimentary rock?

<p>It is made up of minerals that precipitate directly from water solutions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main types of depositional environments? Give examples.

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What are sedimentary facies?

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What are marine transgressions and regressions?

<p>Marine transgressions occur when sea level rises and goes inland, while marine regressions occur when sea level falls and retreats seaward.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are sedimentary structures? Give examples. What do they tell us?

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What is a Banded Iron Formation?

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What is metamorphism?

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Where in the world do metamorphic rocks occur?

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Study Notes

Mechanical Weathering

  • Also known as physical weathering; breaks down rocks into smaller pieces without altering their chemical composition.
  • Includes processes like jointing, frost wedging, root wedging, salt wedging, thermal expansion, and animal attack.

Chemical Weathering

  • Involves the alteration of the chemical structure of rocks; examples include hydrolysis, oxidation, and carbonation.

Water as a Solvent

  • Water's polar nature facilitates its ability to dissolve many substances, making it a universal solvent.

Erosion and Transport

  • Erosion separates rock or regolith from its substrate and carries it away through processes like wind, water, or ice transport.
  • The medium's viscosity and velocity determine sediment transportation capacity.

Factors Controlling Weathering Rates

  • Particle size affects surface area exposure; smaller particles weather faster.
  • Climate influences temperature and moisture balance, affecting weathering rates.
  • Parent material composition dictates susceptibility to weathering processes.

Spheroidal Weathering

  • A chemical weathering process creating onion-like layers in large rock blocks as joints are worn away, resulting in rounded edges.

Differential Weathering

  • Occurs when different rock types weather at varying rates, leading to uneven landscape features.

Sedimentary Rocks

  • Formed near Earth's surface through cementation of grains from preexisting rocks, precipitation of minerals, or organic processes.
  • Three main types: clastic, biochemical, and chemical sedimentary rocks.

Deposition

  • The process where sediment settles out of transporting media, such as water or wind.

Lithification

  • Transformation of loose sediment into solid rock through compaction and cementation processes.

Rounding and Sorting

  • Rounding refers to the shape of rock fragments, while sorting indicates the uniformity of sediment sizes; well-sorted sediment is uniform in size, while poorly sorted sediment includes a variety of sizes.

Detrital Particles

  • Comprise solid fragments of rock; varied sizes influence sediment characteristics and behavior.

Jointing

  • A mechanical weathering process where pressure changes from removed overlying rock cause cracks, leading to fragmentation of hard rock.

Frost Wedging

  • Mechanical weathering caused by water freezing in cracks; expansion forces joints apart, widening them.

Root Wedging

  • Occurs when tree roots grow into rock cracks, exerting pressure and causing fragmentation.

Mechanical vs. Chemical Weathering Interaction

  • Mechanical weathering enhances chemical weathering by increasing surface area for reactions.
  • Conversely, chemical weathering weakens rocks, making them more susceptible to mechanical weathering processes.

Clastic Sedimentary Rock

  • Composed of cemented fragments and grains from preexisting rocks; distinguished by grain size and composition.

Biochemical Sedimentary Rock

  • Formed from the accumulation of shells and organic materials in marine environments.

Organic Sedimentary Rock

  • Composed of carbon-rich remnants from plant material; includes coal.

Chemical Sedimentary Rock

  • Formed from minerals precipitating directly from water solutions, such as limestone and evaporites.

Depositional Environments

  • Environments where sediment is deposited, like rivers (fluvial), lakes (lacustrine), and oceans (marine).

Sedimentary Facies

  • Body of sedimentary rock characterized by distinctive features indicating a specific depositional environment.

Marine Transgressions and Regressions

  • Transgressions denote rising sea levels inundating land areas; regressions mark falling sea levels exposing former seabeds.

Sedimentary Structures

  • Features such as bedding, ripple marks, and mud cracks provide insights into past environmental conditions and processes.

Banded Iron Formation

  • A sedimentary rock type composed of alternating layers of iron-rich minerals and silica; indicative of ancient marine environments.

Metamorphism

  • The process where preexisting rocks undergo changes in mineralogy and texture due to heat, pressure, and chemically active fluid environments.

Occurrence of Metamorphic Rocks

  • Found in regions of tectonic activity, such as mountain ranges, subduction zones, and areas affected by significant heat and pressure.

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