What is Weathering? Crash Course Geography #22

What is weathering?

• The process where rocks are moved by wind, water, or ice.

• The breakdown of rocks by physical disintegration or chemical decomposition.

• The continuous creation and destruction of rocks and minerals.

• The process where continents reassemble and oceans open and close.

What is the main difference between weathering and erosion?

• Weathering only happens in cold environments, while erosion happens everywhere.

• Weathering breaks down rocks, while erosion moves the broken-down rock material.

• Erosion creates new rocks, while weathering destroys them.

• Weathering is caused by internal forces, and erosion by external forces.

What happens during frost action?

• Water evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals that break rocks.

• Water absorbed into rock pores freezes, expands, and breaks the rock.

• Metallic elements in rocks combine with oxygen to form rust.

• Rocks are broken down by the force of wind and sand.

What causes the black crust on the columns of the Parthenon?

• Natural erosion from wind and sand.

• Sulfur dioxide from burning fossil fuels mixing with moisture.

• Algae and moss growing on the stone.

• Iron rusting due to exposure to oxygen.

What is the process called when water and carbon dioxide combine to form carbonic acid, which then dissolves minerals in rocks like limestone?

• Oxidation

• Hydrolysis

• Carbonation

• Abrasion

Which of the following is a common feature of Karst topography?

• Tall, jagged mountain peaks.

• Wide, flat river plains.

• Sinkholes and underground caves.

• Volcanic craters.

What are the formations that hang down from the ceiling of a cave, often made of calcium carbonate?

• Stalagmites

• Columns

• Stalactites

• Pillars