Mechanical Weathering
- Mechanical weathering takes place when rocks are broken down without any change in the chemicals of the rock.
- Rocks are usually torn apart by physical force, rather than by chemical breakdown.
- There are many different forces that break rocks down. These include, things such as confined energy as the Earth's crust slowly moves.
- When tons of pressure build up, the resulting mechanical effect can be that very large joints, or faults are created.
- The three causes of mechanical weathering are:
1) Plants
2) Animals
3) Water
- There are three different kinds of mechanical weathering.
- Frost Wedging: Alternating freezing and thawing of water.
- Unloading: Large masses of igneous rock are exposed by erosion and entire slabs begin to break loose.
- Biological Activity: Activity of organisms, plant roots, burrowing animals, and humans.
- Rocks are usually torn apart by physical force, rather than by chemical breakdown.
- There are many different forces that break rocks down. These include, things such as confined energy as the Earth's crust slowly moves.
- When tons of pressure build up, the resulting mechanical effect can be that very large joints, or faults are created.
- The three causes of mechanical weathering are:
1) Plants
2) Animals
3) Water
- There are three different kinds of mechanical weathering.
- Frost Wedging: Alternating freezing and thawing of water.
- Unloading: Large masses of igneous rock are exposed by erosion and entire slabs begin to break loose.
- Biological Activity: Activity of organisms, plant roots, burrowing animals, and humans.