Weathering and Mass Wasting

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary effect of water freezing within rock cracks?

It causes the water to evaporate instantly.

It leads to an expansion in volume by up to 9%, exerting pressure. (correct)

It reduces the volume of the crack substantially.

It converts the frozen water into mineral crystals.

Which chemical weathering agent is described as forming new materials from ions released from rocks?

Oxidation

Solution (correct)

Acid deposition

Hydrolysis

How do lichens contribute to chemical weathering?

They create a weak acid that can dissolve rock. (correct)

They produce strong acids that dissolve metals.

They increase the erosion rate of sedimentary structures.

They absorb minerals directly from rocks.

What role does carbonation play in chemical weathering?

It effectively dissolves rock material containing carbonate. Signup and view all the answers

Which mineral is most susceptible to dissolution in acidic water?

Halite Signup and view all the answers

What is the main product of hydrolysis in chemical weathering?

Clay minerals from feldspar decomposition Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of oxidation as a chemical weathering process?

Minerals become coated with metallic oxides. Signup and view all the answers

What role do plant roots play in the process of chemical weathering?

They can change the mineral composition through chemical reactions. Signup and view all the answers

What causes the vertical movement of the crustal blocks in a reverse fault?

Compressional stress Signup and view all the answers

Which fault is associated with the formation of a valley due to blocks pulling apart?

Normal fault Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a strike-slip fault?

Philippine Fault Zone Signup and view all the answers

In what type of tectonic boundary does a reverse fault predominantly occur?

Convergent boundary Signup and view all the answers

What geological phenomenon is suggested by the concept of seafloor spreading?

The separation of continents due to movement beneath the ocean floor Signup and view all the answers

What is mass wasting primarily influenced by?

The weight of surface materials Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of mass wasting?

Sedimentary deposition Signup and view all the answers

What is the main driving force behind the rock cycle?

Internal heat from the Earth Signup and view all the answers

What role does the water cycle play in the rock cycle?

It is a supplementary process that aids material changes on the surface Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the mass wasting process if the Earth's core becomes cooler?

It slows down the process of mass wasting Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is crucial for the continuation of the rock cycle?

Thick atmosphere and presence of liquid water Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by primordial heat in the context of the Earth?

Remnant heat from Earth's formation Signup and view all the answers

What would happen if there were no atmosphere around the Earth?

The rock cycle would cease to exist Signup and view all the answers

What is characteristic of burial metamorphism?

It results from the deep burial of sediments. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of metamorphism is commonly associated with mountain building?

Regional metamorphism Signup and view all the answers

In subduction zones, what conditions are notable during metamorphism?

Low temperature and very high pressure Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor that drives contact metamorphism?

Heat from invading magma Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following rocks is typically associated with contact metamorphism?

Hornfels Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes regional metamorphism from other types of metamorphism?

It involves large-scale pressure and temperature changes. Signup and view all the answers

Which metamorphic process results in foliated rocks due to directional pressure?

Regional metamorphism Signup and view all the answers

Why is contact metamorphism referred to as high temperature, low pressure metamorphism?

The temperature contrasts greatly with surrounding rock while pressure remains low. Signup and view all the answers

What type of deformation occurs when a rock permanently changes in shape after being bent or folded?

Ductile Deformation Signup and view all the answers

Which factor reduces the likelihood of rocks fracturing under high confining pressures?

Surrounding material resistance Signup and view all the answers

What forms as a result of compressional forces at convergent plate boundaries?

Anticlines and Synclines Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the movement along a fault line?

Relative motion occurs between two bodies of rock Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of elastic deformation?

Restoration to original shape after stress removal Signup and view all the answers

Which type of fault occurs when rocks slide past each other horizontally?

Strike-slip Fault Signup and view all the answers

What type of deformation is referred to when a rock undergoes breaking or fracturing?

Irreversible Deformation Signup and view all the answers

How does temperature affect rock behavior under stress?

Allows for ductile behavior at high temperatures Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Weathering

Water freezing and expanding can cause rock to break off
Salt crystal growth can also cause rock to break off
Chemical weathering is the process of ions being released into water or recombining to form new materials like clay
Oxidation is a type of chemical weathering, where oxygen reacts with minerals in rocks
Solution is a type of chemical weathering where rock dissolves in water
Carbonation is a type of solution weathering where carbon dioxide and water react with carbonate rocks like limestone
Hydrolysis is a type of chemical weathering where water reacts with minerals in rocks
Acids and chemicals from organisms can also cause chemical weathering, for example, lichens can produce weak acids that dissolve rock

Mass Wasting

It is the downslope movement of surface materials due to gravity
Examples of mass wasting include landslides, mudflows, debris flows, avalanches, and slumps

Earth's Structure

The Earth's crust is constantly changing through the rock cycle
Two forces drive the rock cycle: internal heat engine and the water cycle
The Earth's core is hot enough to drive mantle convection

Rock Cycle

Burial metamorphism happens when sediments are buried deeply enough that heat and pressure cause minerals to recrystallize
Regional metamorphism occurs when large areas of rocks are subjected to differential stress over long periods of time, often associated with mountain building
Subduction metamorphism occurs at subduction zones where tectonic plates collide, resulting in high pressures and relatively low temperatures

Metamorphism

Contact metamorphism happens when a body of magma intrudes into an adjacent body of rock, causing the rock to heat up and become infiltrated with fluids from the magma
Contact metamorphism often happens in small areas called metamorphic aureoles
Contact metamorphism is considered high-temperature, low-pressure metamorphism
Rocks deform through fracturing and faulting at low confining pressures near the Earth's surface
Rocks deform by folding at high confining pressures deep within the Earth's crust

Rock Deformation

Elastic deformation occurs when a rock stretches but returns to its original shape
Ductile deformation occurs when a rock permanently changes shape after being bent or folded
Irreversible deformation occurs when a rock permanently changes shape and size due to breaking or fracturing
Factors that affect rock deformation: confining pressure, temperature, strength of rock, strain rate

Folding

Folding is the bending of rocks when forces are applied on it at opposite directions
Common along convergent plate boundaries and usually results in mountain building
Anticline is the upfold, and syncline is the downfold

Faulting

Faulting is the process of causing a fracture or break in a rock due to shear stress
This can result in earthquakes
A fracture is a simple break that does not involve significant movement of the rocks on either side
A fault is a boundary between two bodies of rock along which there has been relative motion
Normal fault is a dip-slip fault in which the block above the fault has moved downward relative to the block below
Reverse fault is a dip-slip fault in which the upper block, above the fault plane, moves up and over the lower block
A strike-slip fault is due to the shearing or the sliding of rocks

Seafloor Spreading

The idea of continental drift implies that something must have separated the continents
The theory of seafloor spreading explains how continents can move apart

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Description

Explore the processes of weathering and mass wasting in this quiz. Learn about the various types of weathering such as chemical, physical, and their effects on the Earth's surfaces, along with understanding how gravity influences the movement of materials. Test your knowledge on these essential geological concepts.