Weathering and Erosion

What is weathering?

• The process by which
  water, ice, wind or gravity
  moves fragments of rock
  and soil.
• The process by which
  water, ice, wind or gravity
  deposit rock sediments
  and soil in a new place.
• The breaking down of
  Earth’s crust into smaller
  and smaller pieces.

What is erosion?

• The process by which
  water, ice, wind or gravity
  moves fragments of rock
  and soil.
• The process by which
  water, ice, wind or gravity
  deposit rock sediments
  and soil in a new place.
• The breaking down of
  Earth’s crust into smaller
  and smaller pieces.

A marble statue is left exposed to the weather.  Within a few years, the details on the statue have begun to weather away.  This weathering probably is caused by...

• oxygen in the air
• carbonic acid in rainwater
• lichens
• abrasion

The diagrams  shows a natural process that weathers rock.
 Which statement best explains why this process results in weathering?

• frozen water acts as a solute
• water expands when it freezes
• the mass of water increases when it freezes
• frozen water dissolves most types of rock

The process that breaks down rocks and other materials on Earth's surface is called

• weathering
• erosion
• soil conservation
• decomposition

How do plants weather rocks?

• during photosynthesis
• when roots grow into cracks of rocks and expand the rock
• when the plant moves water from the roots to the leaves

A river moves rocks by carrying them in its current.

• Weathering
• Erosion

Water freezes in a crack in an asphalt street and a pothole begins to form.

• Weathering
• Erosion

Water dissolves part of a rock, making an underground cave.

• Weathering
• Erosion

Small pieces of sand are carried by the wind.

• Weathering
• Erosion