Exploring Exogenic Processes

Physical Weathering

• Factors affecting physical weathering include temperature changes, freeze-thaw cycles, and moisture, but not vegetation types.
• Rock disintegration occurs without chemical change; relevant processes involve temperature fluctuations or mechanical stress.

Onion Skin Weathering

• The process where surface rock erodes in layers, similar to an onion, due to pressure release is known as exfoliation.

Types of Weathering

• Physical weathering is characterized by the breaking of rocks into smaller pieces without altering their composition.
• The physical breakdown can be caused by various natural elements, including temperature variations and biological activity.

Exogenic Processes

• Exogenic processes are characterized by external forces such as weather, erosion, and other surface-level activities affecting Earth's surface.
• They differ from endogenic processes, which are driven by internal Earth forces, such as volcanic activity.

Root Wedging

• The term for this process is root wedging, where plant roots grow into rock fissures, exerting pressure and causing rocks to break apart.

Distinction in Weathering Types

• Physical weathering results in the fragmentation of rocks, while chemical weathering involves the alteration of minerals within the rocks.
• Understanding the non-exogenic processes helps differentiate between internal Earth dynamics and surface-level interactions.