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Section 4.1 Notes • Weathering is the process by which natural forces break down rocks. • There are 2 types of weathering: 1. Mechanical weathering 2. Chemical weathering • Mechanical weathering is the breaking up of rocks by physical forces. • There are 4 main types: 1. Ice wedging 2. Exfoliation 3. Plant root growth 4. Abrasion • When water freezes, it expands. When water freezes in the cracks and pores of rocks, the force of its expansion is strong enough to split the rocks apart. • The process in which layers or sheets of rock gradually break off due to the expansion of the rock caused by a decrease in pressure. • Trees, bushes, and other plants may take root in cracks of rocks. As the roots of these plants grow, they wedge open the cracks. • The process of wearing down by friction, the rubbing of one object or surface against another. • The breakdown of rocks by chemical reactions that change the rocks’ makeup, or composition. • There are 2 main types: 1. Dissolving 2. Rusting • Water is the main cause of chemical weathering. • Many more minerals dissolve in water that is slightly acidic – like lemonade. • The oxygen in air is also involved in chemical weathering. • Many common minerals contain iron. When these minerals dissolve in water, oxygen in the air and the water combines to produce rust. • Most weathering occurs over long periods of time – hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years. • There are 3 Influential factors: 1. Surface area 2. Rock composition 3. Climate • The more of a rock’s surface that is exposed to air and water, the faster the rock will break down. • Different kinds of rock break down at different rates. • Chemical weathering occurs faster in hot, wet regions than it does in cold, dry regions. • Mechanical weathering caused by freezing and thawing occurs more in cold regions than in hot regions.