Weathering
Key words :
Oxidation – Oxygen reacts with minerals and weakens the rock.
Hydrolysis – Water reacts with minerals and changes the rock into clay.
Carbonation – Carbon dioxide in rainwater forms a weak acid that dissolves rocks like limestone.
Abrasion – Rocks are worn down when they rub against other rocks.
Attrition – Rock pieces hit each other and become rounder and smaller.
Exfoliation – Heat makes the outer layers of rocks expand and peel off.
Solution weathering – Minerals dissolve in water and disappear.
Bioturbation – Animals like worms or insects disturb the soil and break rocks.
Organic acids – Acids from plants or decaying leaves that weaken rocks.
Salt crystallisation – Salt forms crystals in cracks and forces the rock to break.
Differential weathering – Soft rocks wear away faster than hard rocks.
Thermal stress – Rocks crack because of repeated heating and cooling.
Hydration – Minerals absorb water and increase in size, causing stress in the rock.
Spheroidal weathering – Rocks become rounded as outer edges weather faster.
Regolith – The loose layer of rock pieces and soil formed by weathering.
Definition :
Organic refers to carbon-based compounds with specific molecular structures that originate from or relate to biological life.
Questions :
What is oxidation ?
Ans : Oxygen reacts with minerals and weakens the rock.
What is Hydrolysis ?
Ans: Water reacts with minerals and changes the rock into clay.
What is organic ?
Ans: Organic means something that comes from living things.
Fun Fact :
The smell of rain on dry soil, called “petrichor,” is actually caused by organic oils released by plants and tiny microbes in the soil!