Earth Sciences 1089F/G Lecture 2: Earth Science- February 4th
Document Summary
Erosion: the physical breakdown of material by mobile agents such as water, wind, ice or gravity erosion is often aided by weathering. Can transport dissolved substances released by chemical weathering. Flowing water can loosen and pluck particles: plucking: differential weathering and scouring of grains loosen by weathering result in a billowy appearance. Plucks grains that are loosened by weathering. Deflation: plucking of sediment grains by wind. Sandblasting: rapid movement of wind clearing an area of sediment/debris. Flowing glacial ice can pluck sediment grains from the ground. Plucked fragments of rock can roughen rock beneath the ice. U-shapes mountains are formed from erosion by glaciers. Materials weakened by weathering can be transported downslope. Mass-wasting= rapid movement of materials downslope due to gravity: ex: frank slide, alberta, 1903. Weathering: the physical or chemical breakdown of materials at or near the earth"s surface: mechanical weathering: physical break up or disintegration of material (without changes in composition of material)