exogenic processes

Geologic processes that shape the earth due to

forces at or above the surface.

exo – ancient Greek ἔξω (éxō, “outer, external”)

weathering
• process that changes solid rock into sediments
• rock is disintegrated, broken into pieces
weathering. MECHANICAL
• also known as physical weathering
• rock has changed physically without changing its composition
• smaller pieces have the same minerals, in just the same
proportions as the original rock
weathering. MECHANICAL
wedging
• ice or frost wedging
• root wedging
• salt or crystal wedging
weathering. MECHANICAL
ice or frost wedging
weathering. MECHANICAL

root wedging
 weathering. MECHANICAL

crystal wedging
weathering. MECHANICAL
abrasion
• one rock bumps against another
rock
• caused by:
• gravity
• moving water
• strong winds
• ice
• makes rocks with sharp or jagged
edges smooth and round
weathering. MECHANICAL
organisms
• a plant’s roots grow into a crack or fracture in rock and
gradually grow larger
• burrowing animals
weathering. MECHANICAL
humans
• digging or blasting into rock
• quarrying stone
weathering. CHEMICAL
• changes the composition of rocks
• may change the size of pieces of rock materials
• one type of mineral changes into a different mineral
• works through chemical reactions
• happens when minerals are no longer stable
• converts many minerals to clay
weathering. CHEMICAL
water
• water molecules separate the ions from their compounds and
surround them
• water can completely dissolve some minerals, such as salt
• hydrolysis. chemical reaction between a chemical compound
and water
weathering. CHEMICAL
carbonic acid
• carbon dioxide (CO2)
combines with water as
raindrops fall through the
atmosphere to form a weak
acid, called carbonic acid
• very common in nature, where
it works to dissolve rock
weathering. CHEMICAL
oxygen
• oxidation is a chemical
reaction that takes place
when oxygen reacts with
another element
• iron reacts with oxygen to
create rust
• very strongly chemically
reactive
weathering. CHEMICAL
plants and animals
• as plant roots take in soluble ions as nutrients, certain elements
are exchanged
• plant roots and bacterial decay use carbon dioxide in the
process of respiration
weathering. MECHANICAL & CHEMICAL
weathering. MECHANICAL & CHEMICAL
influences
• rock and mineral type
• different rock and mineral types weather at different rate
weathering. MECHANICAL & CHEMICAL
influences
• climate
• determined by the temperature of a region plus the amount
of precipitation it receives
• weather averaged over a long period of time
• Chemical weathering increases as:
• temperature increases
• precipitation increases
weathering. MECHANICAL & CHEMICAL
influences
• climate
• cold, dry climate will produce the lowest rate of weathering
• warm, wet climate will produce the highest rate of weathering
• greater rate of biological weathering