The SHOWDOWN!

Weathering... Weather vs. Rock! Who

wins?
The Rock
What role does WEATHERING
Cycle...
play in the rock cycle?
ESRT p 6

It changes ANY TYPE of rock into

sediments!

Weathering...

The breakdown of ROCK into

SEDIMENTS

Lithosphere
Weathering happens when
the
Atmosphere
____________ is exposed
to the
_________________
Hydrosphere
and the ________________

Weathering: Rocks are exposed to

weather!

Weathering...
Chemical
Weatherin
g

Two Types

Rocks break down when

chemical reactions change
their composition

EXAMPLES

Oxidation

Hydrolysis

Minerals react
with oxygen in
the air

Minerals
react
with water
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Chemical
Weathering...
The
symbols
dissolved
in the
humid
weather
of NYC!

Cleopatras
Needle

Physical Weathering
Weathering...aka mechanical
weathering
Rocks break down
into smaller pieces BUT DO
NOT change compositionthey just get
smaller!

Abrasion
Rocks
wear
away by
wind,
streams

EXAMPLES

Wedging
Ice or roots
expand cracks
in rocks

Exfoliation
Rock
breaks off
in layers
from
pressure
release

Physical Weathering...
Exfoliation
Rock breaks off
in layers from
pressure release

Mt Haystack, NY
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Physical Weathering...

Wilmington, NY
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Physical Weathering...
Root Wedging
Root grows in
crack and splits
the rock WIDE
OPEN!
Blue Mountain
Lake, NY
8

Weathering Summary
1.What is weathering?
2.What is the main difference between
chemical and physical weathering?
3.Both types of chemical weathering do what?
4.All types of physical weathering do what?
5.Which type of weathering do you think we
mostly have here in Pittsford? Explain

Weathering Factors...
Climate... MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR
Weathering rate
WHY?
depends on the
WEATHER!
Weathering
Weathering
happensWARM
faster and
in
happens COOL
slower in
HUMID
____________
_________and
climates
DRY
climates
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OTHER Weathering Factors...

Rock type

Igneous vs.
Sedimentary
Which type
Usually
weathers
sedimentary
Made
of sediments
faster?
cemented together
WHY?
that can be
separated!
Igneous rocks
have inter-grown
crystals

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OTHER Weathering Factors...

Particle Size

OR

Which size
weathers
faster?
WHY?

Smaller particles have

greater exposed surface
area
12

Weathering...

SUMMARY

1. Two types of WEATHERING...

2. How does CLIMATE affect
weathering?...
3. How is rock type a weathering
factor...
4. Which rock will probably weather faster
in the same climate, shale or sandstone?
Why?
5. Choose a rock and explain where and
why it would weather very slowly...
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Weathering in our area

What kind of WEATHERING do WE
have?
Mostly
WHY?
POTHOLE
Physical...
Lots of
precipitation/humid
Frost wedging causes
potholes!
Water in the pavement freezes
and cracks the road. Cars break
the cracks!

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Weathering in our area

1895, Frederick
Douglass
Rochester,
115 years oldNY
and
still looks good!
How is that possible?
Probably made from
tough, weather-resistant
granite!
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Weathering in our area

1895, Harold McWillie
Rochester, NY
Same age and Douglass
REALLY WEATHERED!
What made the
difference?
Made of limestone!
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Weathering in other areas

Great Sphinx, Egypt
3000 B.C.E.
Made of limestone!
What made the
difference?
Dry climate, less
pollution!

17

Weathering
Cleopatras Needle,
Egypt
1500 B.C.E.
Still in great shape!
Dry climate, not much
pollution!

18

Weathering
Cleopatras Needle,
NYC
1500 B.C.E.
What made the
difference?
Humid climate, pollution,
acid rain dissolved the
linestone!

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Weathering...

SUMMARY

1.How can a 150 year old tombstone still

have clear lettering?
2.How can a newer 50 year old tombstone
be almost unreadable?
3.How is it possible for 5000 year old
statues in Egypt to still look fresh?
4.How might global warming and acid rain
affect weathering rates in New York
State?

Weathering Video!

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