Weathering, Erosion and Deposition

the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks into

Weathering _______________________________________________________
smaller particles called sediment
___________________________________________________________

Types of Weathering
PHYSICAL weathering
A. ________________
Any process that causes rocks to break into smaller
_________________________________________________________
pieces without changing chemically
_________________________________________________________
Temperature Change
1._______________________

as rocks are heated by the Sun the

outside layers heat up and

expand
____________.

When the temperature falls the outside

contract
layers cool and ____________.

The cycle of heating and cooling cause

the surface of the rock to break off in

slabs or layers. This process is called

exfoliation
___________________________.
 Frost Action
2. ______________________________

Frost Wedging
also called _____________________.

This occurs when water seeps into the

cracks ib a rock. When water freezes

expands The cycle of freezing

it ____________.

and melting causes rocks to break apart.

This same process happens to our roads

potholes in the road.

and creates ____________

Organic Activity
3. _____________________________ This process

occurs when trees and shrubs can grow through

cracks in rocks. Their roots wedge into crevices.

Even moss and lichen wedge their hair-like roots

between the grains that make-up rocks.

Abrasion
4. _____________________________ sediments carried by streams and wind

blown sand causes particles to collide into each other and the surrounding rock.
 Chemical
B. ____________________________ weathering
Any process that causes rocks to breakdown by chemical action
_______________________________________________________________
and results in a change in the mineral composition
_______________________________________________________________
__
Carbonation
1. ________________________ occurs when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
dissolves in the droplets of water that make up clouds. This forms a weak

Calcite,acid
carbonic acid. Carbonic limestone,
reacts with marble andand
certain rocks chalk
minerals that
include;
_______________________________________________________________
Limestone
_

________________ bedrock

Carbonic Acid seeps into the

limestone bedrock through cracks.
This water dissolves the limestone
rock.

sinkholes
stalactites
A cavern forms that includes the
following features.
stalagmites
___________________________
columns
___________________________
___________________________
2. Hydration
_______________ occurs when water

dissolves certain minerals in a rock.

For example, granite is very stable in

cool, dry climates but in moist climates

rainfall dissolves much of the mineral

feldspar. The feldspar becomes clay

which is too weak to keep the rock from breaking apart. The mineral quartz
remains behind as sand.

9. Oxidation
________________ occurs when oxygen in the atmosphere combines with
certain minerals in the rock. For example when oxygen combines with iron
minerals, iron oxide (rust) forms. The chemical change of the mineral
weakens the rock and the rock crumbles.

10. Plants acids produce weak acids that can dissolve certain minerals
________________
in a rock, weakening the rock.

11. Man-created acids

__________________________ Gases produced by humans can dissolve
acid rain
in the water droplets of a cloud to produce ________________.
sulfuric acid
These acids include: H2SO4 __________________
nitric acid
HNO3 ___________________
Weathering Rates
Climate
A. ____________________ is the major factor that affects the rate of weathering.

1. Temperature:

a. In warm climates

chemical action is the

__________________

dominant type of weathering.

b. In cold climates
frost action
__________________ is the

dominant type of weathering.

2. Precipitation:

a. As precipitation increases, the amount (or rate) of weathering by frost action

increases
will _______________________.

b. As precipitation increases, the amount (or rate) of chemical weathering will

increases
__________________________.
warm
3. Chemical weathering is most rapid in ________________________,
moist
_______________________ climates.

4. Due to climate and different weathering processes, landscapes develop

differently.
 Different types of rocks
B. ____________________________________ causes differential weathering.
Differential weathering is the process by which softer, less weather-resistant
rocks wear away, leaving harder, more weather-resistant rocks behind.

sandstone shale

limestone dolostone

dolostone
Which rock type is most resistant to weathering? __________________________
shale
Which rock type is least resistant to weathering? __________________________

I. Particle Size
_________________________ Weathering takes place on the outside
surface area
surface of rocks. So the more __________________ that is exposed to
weathering, the faster the rock will be broken down.

surface
As a rock breaks into smaller pieces, the ________________ area
increases
increases, so the rate of weathering ____________________.
Products of Weathering
Name of Sediment Size (cm)

boulders 25.6 and larger

cobbles 25.6-6.4
pebbles 6.4-2.0
sand 0.2-0.006
silt 0.006-0.0004
clay 0.0004- and smaller
B. Dissolved minerals dissolved minerals cause the “hardness” in
_______________________
ground water (and surface water).
C. Soil
weathered rock and ___________________.
1. Soil is a combination of ________________ organic material
Humus
2. ________________ is decayed plant and animal material found in soil.
Soil that contains 20 to 30% humus is considered a rich soil for plant growth.
3. Soil development

4. Soil layers – the SOIL PROFILE

Topsoil
1. ______________ A horizon
or _______________
is the top layer of soil that contains more
humus than the layers below.
Subsoil
2. ______________ B horizon
or _______________
consist of clays and dissolved minerals
that have been washed down from
above. Contains less humus.
3. C horizon consists of weathered rock
__________
fragments, usually from the parent rock.
Bedrock
4. ________________ is the layered rock
beneath the soil. Frequently it is the
parent rock of the soil above.

5. Residual Vs Transported Soil

If the bedrock matches the rock fragments of thwe C horizon, the soil is
residual
most likely _____________________________. If it does not the soil is
transported
most likely _____________________________.
Erosion and Deposition
A. Erosion is the process by which weathered sediments are
carried or transported.
_____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_

running
1. Am agent of erosion is a material water
or force wind from
that moves sediments
one glaciers
place to another place. waves

The include:
2. Agents of erosion process by which sediment
__________________, is dropped or
__________________, settles and
__________________
____________________.

decreases
B. Deposition is
decreases
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

1. Deposition occurs when the velocity (speed) of running water or the

The size of sediment increases, the rate of
wind ____________________ and/or when the discharge (volume of water)
deposition increases.
____________________.

2.
TimeFactors
for that affect the deposition of sediment:
Rate of
Deposition Deposition
a. Size
____________________________________________________
Size of Sediment Size of Sediment
__________________________________________________________
As the density of sediment increases, the rate
(speed) of deposition increases

Time for Rate of

Deposition Deposition

b. Density _________________________________________________
Density of Sediment Density of Sediment
__________________________________________________________
C. Shape -
As the shape becomes more spherical, the rate of
_____________________________________________________________
deposition of the sediment increases.
_____________________________________________________________

Time for Rate of

Deposition Deposition

Flat------------Spherical Flat------------Spherical
Shape of Sediments Shape of Sediments

D. Gravity – erosion and deposition

1. Gravity pulls sediments down slopes.

2. The downhill movement of sediments by gravity is called

mass wasting
___________________.
landslides and mudslides
3, Types of mass wasting include: ________________________________

4. Deposition resulting from gravity

__________
unsorted

Talus Pile/ Slope

 5. Gravity is the underlying force behind all erosion; it may act alone or with a
transporting agent.

Gravity causes water to flow downhill.

a. _____________

Gravity causes glaciers to flow down a valley or spread outward.

b. _____________
Gravity causes winds by pulling heavier (more dense) cold air
c. _____________
down beneath lighter (less dense) warm air.

D. Wind – erosion and deposition

1. The amount of erosion caused by the wind depends on:

Size
a. The __________________ of sediments being carried.

Speed
b. The __________________ of which the wind is blowing.
Time
c. The __________________ that the wind continues to blow.

2. WIND

3. Deposition by wind

Well sorted
__________________
E. Running Water – erosion

1. Running water is the dominant form of erosion

______________________________________________.

2.

3. When rain falls onto the surface of Earth several things can happen to the
runoff
water:

infiltrate / sink into ground

a. ___________________________________________________________

evaporate
b. ___________________________________________________________

accumulate in snow and stored in ponds

c. ___________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________

4. Thedischarge
volume (amount) of water in a stream is called the stream’s
______________________.

Factors affecting a stream’s volume are: spring

humid
a. Season – spring vs. fall; usually greater in the climates
_____________________.

b. Climate – arid vs. humid; usually greater in

________________________.
saturated
c. Weather – daily changes in precipitation affect the volume of a stream.
 (watershed) the area of land
drained by a river system-the main river and all
of its tributaries
(watershed) the area of land drained
by a river system-the main river and all of its
tributaries

Ontario-St Lawrence Champlain-St Lawrence

Susquehanna-Chesapeake Long Island Sound

Delaware
Mohawk-Hudson
St Lawrence Allegheny-Ohio

Erie- St Lawrence
5. Stream factors that cause erosion:

Velocity
a. _____________ - as velocity increases; erosion increases
as volume increases; erosion increases
________________________________________________
Volume
b. ______________ - _______________________________________________

c.
Velocity

Volume
Stream
Stream

Erosion Erosion

Gradient
6. Factors as gradient
that affect stream velocity: increases; velocity increases
Volume
a. _____________ as volume increases; velocity increases
- ________________________________________________

b. _____________ - ________________________________________________

c. Channel - the path the stream follows. When a stream flows through its
channel its speed will change due to the curvature of the channel.

meanders
 X X
Key:

=
deposited stream X X
sediment

X = location
of maximum
velocity X X

increases therefore,
At the outside of the curve, the stream velocity ______________
erosion
________________ occurs.

decreases therefore,
At the inside of the curve the stream velocity ____________
deposition
________________ occurs.
7. Stream Load

Solution
a. ___________________ - minerals dissolved in the water
Suspension
b. ___________________ - small particles carried within the water
Saltation
c ___________________ - larger particles rolling and bouncing along the
bottom

26. Particle Size vs. Stream Velocity

What is the largest size sediment that can be transported by a stream in which the
water velocity is:
Sand
a. 50cm/sec _________________________
Pebbles
b. 150 cm/sec _______________________
Cobbles
c. 250 cm/sec ________________________
F. Running Water – deposition
Decrease and
1. When a stream enters a body of water. Its speed will ______________,
Deposition of sediments occurs. A deposit at the mouth
therefore the ______________
Delta
of a stream where it enters a large body of water is called a _____________.

2. A delta is an example of the ____________ deposition of sediments in water.

___________________ sediment

3. Deposition can also occur _____________. This results in _________

sorting.

___________________ sediment
decrease
deposition

delta

horizontal

sorted

vertically
vertical

sorted
4. Stream deposition on land can also occur. This deposit is called an
________________.

5. Equilibrium: Erosion = Deposition

Map View
equilibrium

erosion
Profile View

deposition
6. Formation of an Oxbow Lake – the work of erosion and deposition

Deposition

Erosion

Oxbow Lake
Levee

Flood Plain
G. Glaciers – erosion and deposition
a large mass of moving ice and snow.
1. A glacier is _____________________________________________
2. Types of Glaciers
Alpine
a. ___________________ glaciers form in mountain valleys at high
elevations.
examples:
Alps
_________________

Andes
_________________

Himalayas
_________________

Continental
b. ____________________ glaciers form over vast areas of land.
examples:

Greenland
______________________

Antarctica
___________________________
 faster

lateral

medial

ground

Unsorted rock material carried

and deposited by a glacier
Lateral

Medial

Ground
 Terminal/ end

Stream Glacier

U
 4

Interglacial period

11,000
Wisconsin

Illinoian

Kansan

Nebraskan
 kame

drumlin
Erratic
kettle lake
Braided stream
Outwash plain
Terminal moraine

Ground moraine
esker
Next
page