NATS 1750 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Spheroidal Weathering, Silicate Minerals, Mass Wasting
12 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
In talking about processes so far, they originate from internal forces that are shaping the rock and structure. These are mostly driven by the heat of the interior of earth. However there are also exterior forces that shape the surface that are responsible for the production of sedimentary rock. In talking about these processes there are 3 key ones: Weathering- the disintegration and decomposition of material at or near the surface. Mass wasting- the transfer of rock material downslope under the influence of gravity. Erosion- the incorporation and transportation of material by a mobile agent, usually water, wind, or ice. There are two main types of weathering: mechanical and chemical. In most situation both will occur simultaneously and mechanical weathering increasing surface area, will increase the rater of chemical weathering. We also look at what affects the rate of weathering and what some of the products of weathering are.
