GEOG 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Capillary Action, Surface Tension, Hydrolysis
Document Summary
They are responsible for the reduction of land surface. Worn, scraped or blown away material is deposited in new places and as a result, new landforms are created. It is the breakdown and decomposition of rocks and minerals at / near the earth"s surface in response to atmospheric factors (water, air and temperature). It is the physical disintegration of the earth"s materials at / near the surface; that is larger rocks are broken into smaller ones. Frost action : the repeated freezing and thawing of water that has been soaked into rocks which breaks them down into smaller rocks. Development of salt crystals : groundwater is drawn to the surface by capillary action (water rising because of surface tension). Evaporation leaves behind salt crystals that form and disintegrate the rock. Root action : roots of plants find their way between rocks which later grow and end up disintegrating rocks.
