Term | Definition |
Uniformitarianism | A principal that states that geologic processes that operate today also operated in the past |
Erosion | The process of wearing down and carrying away rocks |
Weathering | The process that breaks down rock and other substances |
Mechanical weathering | The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces |
Chemical weathering | The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes |
Abrasion | refers to wearing away of rock by rock particles carried by water, ice, wind, or gravity |
Frost wedging | wedges of ice and rocks widen and deepen cracks |
Oxidation | Iron combines with oxygen in the presence of water |
Permeable | a material is full of tiny, connected air spaces that allow water to seep through it |
What breaks down rocks? | Erosion works continuously to weather and carry away rocks at Earth's surface. |
What causes mechanical weathering? | The natural agents of weathering include freezing and thawing, release of pressure, plant growth, actions of animals, and abrasion. |
What causes chemical weathering? | The agents of chemical weathering include water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms, and acid rain. |
How fast does weathering occur? | The most important factors that determine the rate at which weathering occurs are the type of rock and the climate. |