Mechanical Weathering

Occurs when rock is physically crushed, split open, or ground into smaller pieces that eventually become soil.

• Mechanical weathering

• Chemical weathering

Heating rock expands. Cooling rock contracts. The resulting crack looks like frost wedging, but occurs much more slowly. This form of weathering can cause large sections of rock to fall from cliffs.

• anaimal activity

• water abrasion

• thermal expansion

• wind abrasion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

An erosional process caused by the grinding action of a glacier on a rock

• Glacial abrasion

• wind abrasion

• gravity abrasion

• thermal expansion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The splitting of rock caused by the expansion of freezing water in cracks.

• frost wedging

• animal activity

• gravity abrasion

• salt wedging

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Removes outer layers of rock in sheets when internal pressure is slowly released. The pressure release is caused by the uncovering of rock that was once deeply buried.

• thermal expansion

• water abrasion

• exfoliation

• glacial abrasion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Salt from seawater that crystallizes in the pores or cracks of rocks. The pressure created from this can be enough to break a rock apart.

• salt wedging

• water abrasion

• exfoliation

• glacial abrasion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Roots break up the surrounding rocks by growing into a small cracks in rock, and slowly growing wider within the crack.

• anaimal activity

• root pry

• thermal expansion

• wind abrasion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Digging by animals for shelter or food wears down rock, and breaks rock into smaller pieces.

• glacial abrasion

• root pry

• wind abrasion

• animal activity

The grinding or wearing down due to water pushing rock or other objects against each other.

• anaimal activity

• water abrasion

• thermal expansion

• wind abrasion

Wind sandblasts rock in dry, arid climates and wears away the rock. Wind abrasion can make rock formations narrow at the bottom.

• wind abrasion

• gravity abrasion

• water abrasion

• thermal expansion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2