1. Constructive and Destructive Forces

2. Weathering and Erosion
Weathering - processes at or near Earth’s surface that cause rocks and minerals to break down
Erosion - process of removing Earth materials from their original sites through weathering and transport

3. Weathering
Mechanical Weathering - processes that break a rock or mineral into smaller pieces without altering its composition
Chemical Weathering - processes that change the chemical composition of rocks and minerals

4. Agents of Mechanical Weathering
frost wedging
thermal expansion and contraction
mechanical exfoliation
abrasion by wind and water
plants and animals

5. Frost Wedging

6. Plant Wedging

7. Plant Roots

8. Friction and Repeated Impact

9. Burrowing of Animals

10. Chemical Weathering
The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.
The agents of chemical weathering
Water
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Living organisms
Acid rain

11. Water
Water weathers rock by dissolving it

12. Oxygen
Iron combines with oxygen in the presence of water in a process called oxidation
The product of oxidation is rust.

13. Living Organisms
Lichens that grow on rocks produce weak acids that chemically weather rock

14. Acid Rain
Compounds from burning coal, oil and gas react chemically with water forming acids.
Acid rain causes very rapid chemical weathering.

15. Karst Topography
A type of landscape in rainy regions where there is limestone near the surface, characterized by caves, sinkholes, and disappearing streams.
Created by chemical weathering of limestone.

16. Features of Karst: Sinkholes

17. Features of Karst: Caves

18. Erosion
The process by which water, ice, wind or gravity moves fragments of rock and soil.

19. Water Erosion
Rivers, streams, and runoff

20. Ice Erosion
Glaciers

21. Wind Erosion

22. Mass Movements Landslides, mudslides, slump and creep
landslide clip.mpeg

23. Streams

24. Stream Erosion and Deposition

25. Glaciers

26. Wind Transport of Dust

27. Wind Transport of Dust

28. Deposition Formation

29. Volcanoes

32. Earthquakes

33. Mountain Building

34. Weathering Controls
The type, rate and extent of weathering depends upon several controlling factors:
Climate dictates the type of weathering processes that operate, largely by determining the amount of water available and the temperature at which the processes occur. Chemical reactions are faster at higher temperatures, while frost wedging occurs in colder climates.

35. Rock Type determines the resistance of the rock to the weathering processes that operate in that particular environment. Each rock type is composed of a particular set of minerals, which are joined together by crystallization, chemical bonding or cementing. When the forces of plate tectonics move these rocks from the environment in which they formed and expose them to the atmosphere they begin to weather.

36. Rock Structure: highly jointed or faulted rocks present many planes of weakness along which weathering agents (e.g. water) can penetrate into the rock mass (Figures 1 & 2).

38. Time: the duration of the period that the same type of weathering has been operating, uninterrupted by climatic change, earth movements, and other factors, determines the degree and depth to which the rocks have been weathered.

39. Topography: the slope angle determines the energy of the weathering system by controlling the rate at which water passes through the rock mass. Generally, higher, or tectonically active areas with steeper slopes have more dynamic weathering systems, whereas flat plains have slower weathering systems.

40. Erosion Processes
Erosion processes are usually considered under four distinct categories:
Mass Wasting: the processes that occur on slopes, under the influence of gravity, in which water may play a part, although water is not the main transporting medium. Mass wasting, or landsliding

41. Rapid or Slow Changes Glaciers melt and form rivers.
Wind weathers rocks into sand.
Earthquakes move land and rocks.
Rivers carry sediment and build deltas.

42. How does a river become more shallow over time?
Small amounts of soil is deposited each time the river current slowed down causing the river to become more shallow.