Weathering & Erosion

Mr. Weather’s World is a weekly video series bringing you interesting and reliable information about the Earth Sciences, Space Weather, and Climate Change. Tune in each week for exciting new content with host and meteorologist Curt Silverwood (Millersville University Alum).

Edited with: Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Character Animator, and Audition.

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We all know about different types of weather, but a process called weathering helps break down or decompose rocks on the Earth’s surface by different environmental factors. There are two types: Mechanical and Chemical weathering.

Mechanical Weathering is when a rock physically breaks into smaller pieces.

This can be caused by plants, the sun, or frost.

Plants are tough and can grow through rock breaking them apart. Sun heats the surface of rocks causing them to exfoliate or flake into small pieces of sediment. Water fills cracks in rocks and can freeze splitting them apart. This is known as frost wedging.

Chemical weathering is caused by changes in the chemical composition of a rock.

These reactions occur from Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, Water, or Acids.

Carbonation is when water and CO2 combine to create a weak acid that eats away at a rock. Oxidation happens when rocks containing Iron react with oxygen making them rust and break down. Hydrolysis is the reaction between water and minerals that make up a rock causing them to deteriorate. Acids in rain or from plants also cause rock decomposition.

Sedimentary rocks weather more easily than metamorphic and igneous rocks. Depending on a location's climate, if it’s warm and humid, weathering occurs quicker than places where it is very hot or cold.

Weathering destroys rock, and erosion is the process of carrying the broken pieces of rock and sediment away. This is caused by ice, wind, water, or gravity.

Next time we’ll learn about the result of weathering and erosion, Soil! Thank you for watching, and please subscribe to Mr. Weather’s World on YouTube for new videos every #MrWeatherWednesday!
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