Weathering and Erosion

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What is weathering?

Back

The process of breaking down rocks and minerals into smaller pieces through physical, chemical, or biological means.

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What is erosion?

Back

The process in which sediment particles are picked up and moved from one place to another by wind, water, or ice.

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What is mechanical weathering?

Back

The physical breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition.

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What is chemical weathering?

Back

The process that breaks down rocks through chemical reactions, altering the minerals within.

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What is acid rain?

Back

Rain that has been made acidic by pollutants in the atmosphere, which can lead to the weathering of rocks.

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What is ice wedging?

Back

A type of mechanical weathering where water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, causing the rock to break apart.

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What is exfoliation?

Back

The mechanical weathering process in which outer rock layers are stripped away, often resulting in dome-shaped formations.

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What role does water play in weathering?

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Water can cause both mechanical and chemical weathering; it can freeze and expand in cracks or dissolve minerals.

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What is the difference between weathering and erosion?

Back

Weathering is the breakdown of rocks, while erosion is the movement of those broken pieces.

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What is root action?

Back

The process by which plant roots grow into cracks in rocks, causing them to break apart.