Earth Science for STEM 1.

Water either in liquid or solid

Quarter 2 – form is one of the agents of
Module 1: Weathering mechanical weathering. In liquid form,
it seeped into cracks and crevices of
rocks and when the temperature
Rocks are naturally occurring mass of
dropped, it freezes and definitely will
different kinds of minerals. It can be
expand in the form of ice. The ice then
classified into different kinds such as
works as a wedge which slowly widens
igneous, metamorphic and
the cracks and splits the rock. When
sedimentary rocks. These rocks are
the ice melts, the liquid water
classified based on their composition
performs the act of erosion by
and the process of its formation.
carrying away the tiny rock fragments
Igneous are formed from volcanic
lost in the split.
materials, sedimentary rocks are
result of the cementation of different 2. Salt In the process of haloclasty,
sediments to form a new rock and salts served as an agent of
metamorphic rocks are produced weathering. Saltwater sometimes gets
through exposure of parent rock which into the cracks and pores of rock.
can be an igneous, sedimentary or When it evaporates, salt crystals are
another metamorphic rock to intense left behind and grow in the cracks and
temperature and pressure. pores which caused pressure on the
rock and slowly break it apart.
This scenario proves that rocks are
made up of components that can be 3. Temperature changes can also
broken down overtime. Continuous contribute to weathering through the
exposure to external environmental process called thermal stress. During
forces can separate these thermal stress, rock tend to expand
components. A rock disintegrates or with heat and contract with low
even dissolves because a chemical temperature. As this happens
reaction changes the composition of repeatedly, the structure of the rock
the rock. When certain types of rock weakens and over time crumbles.
come in contact with rainwater, a
chemical reaction occurs, slowly 4. Plants also served as agents of
transforming the rock into substances weathering. Its contribution take place
that dissolve in water. As these when the seed of a tree being spread
substances dissolve, they get washed in the environment sprout in soil that
away. has collected in a cracked rock. As the
roots grow, they widen the cracks,
WEATHERING eventually breaking the rock into
pieces. Over time, trees can break
Weathering is the process of
apart even large rocks. Even small
breakdown of rocks at the Earth’s
plants, such as mosses, can enlarge
surface, by the action of water, ice,
tiny cracks as they grow.
acids, salts, plants, animals, gravity
and changing temperatures. There are 5. Animals that tunnel underground,
three types of weathering: physical such as moles and prairie dogs, also
weathering, chemical weathering, and work to break apart rock and soil.
biological weathering. Other animals dig and trample rock
aboveground, causing rock to slowly
Agents of Weathering
crumble.
 3. Exfoliation. It can happen as cracks
develop parallel to the land surface as
a consequence of the reduction in
pressure during uplift and erosion. It
occurs typically in upland areas where
there are exposures of uniform
coarsely crystalline igneous rocks. The
following are the process of
exfoliation.
Types of Weathering
The rock mass at depth is under high
A. Physical weathering is caused by pressure from underlying rocks. It
the effects of changing temperatures tends to be uniform and lack
on rocks, causing the rock to break fractures.
apart. The process is sometimes
assisted by water. It happens → As progressive erosion occurs, the
especially in places where there is rock mass is subjected to
little soil and few plants grow, such as progressively lower pressure of
in mountain regions and hot deserts. overlying rocks which leads to tension
It occurs either through repeated in directions at right angles to the land
melting and freezing of water surface → this tension is relieved by
(mountains and tundra) or through formation of cracks which follow the
expansion and contraction of the land surface. They are relatively flat
surface layer of rocks that are baked on plateaus but can be steep on the
by the sun (hot deserts). There are flanks of mountains which are called
two main types of physical exfoliation domes → once the crack is
weathering: developed; water enters and causes
chemical weathering leading to the
1. Abrasion. It occurs when rocks formation of new low- density
surface is frequently exposed to minerals. This enhances the cracks
water, wind and gravity. and encourages slabs of rock to
detach from the surface.
2. Freeze-thaw. It occurs when water
continually seeps into cracks, freezes B. Chemical Weathering is caused by
and expands, eventually breaking the rainwater reacting with the mineral
rock apart. It occurs in mountainous grains in rocks to form new minerals
regions like the Alps or Snowdonia. It (clays) and soluble salts. These
occurs through the following process: reactions occur particularly when the
water is slightly acidic. These
Rainwater or snow- melt collects in dissolves chemical processes need
cracks in the rocks→ at night the water, and occur more rapidly at
temperature drops and the water higher temperature, so warm, damp
freezes and expands→ the increases in climates are best. Chemical
volume of the ice exerts pressure on weathering (especially hydrolysis and
the cracks in the rock, causing them oxidation) is the first stage in the
to split further open→ during the day production of soils. There are different
the ice melts and the water seeps types of chemical weathering, the
deeper into the cracks → at night, the most important are:
water freezes again.
1. Carbonation – carbon dioxide in the These fragments become more
air in rainwater and becomes weakly exposed to other environmental
acidic. This weak “carbonic acid” can factors that can further enhance their
dissolve limestone as it seeps into weathering. Furthermore, humans
cracks and cavities. Over many years, also indirectly contribute to biological
solution of the rock can form weathering by different activities that
spectacular cave systems. cause rocks to break.

2. Hydrolysis – the breakdown of rock 2. Biological Weathering by Chemical

by acidic water to produce clay and Compounds. Some plants and animals
soluble salts. Hydrolysis takes place also produced acidic substances that
when acid rain reacts with rock- react with the rock and cause its slow
forming minerals such as feldspar to disintegration.
produce clay and salts that are
removed in solution. The only
common rock-forming mineral that is
not affected is quartz, which is a
chemically resistant mineral.
Therefore, quartz and clay are the two
of the most common minerals in
sedimentary rocks.

3. Hydration – a type of chemical

weathering where water reacts
chemically with the rocks, modifying
its chemical structure. Example: H2O
(water) is added to CaSO4 (calcium
sulfate) to create CaSO4 + 2H2O
(calcium sulfate dihydrate). It changes
from anhydrite to gypsum.

4. Oxidation – the breakdown of rock

by oxygen and water, often giving
iron- rich rocks a rusty-colored
weathered surface.

C. Biological weathering of rocks

occurs when rocks are weakened by
different biological agents like plants
and animals. When plant roots grow
through rocks, it creates fracture and
cracks that result eventually to rock
breakage. It can be classified into:

1. Biological Weathering by Physical

Means. Burrowing animals like shrews,
moles and earthworms create holes
on the ground by excavation and
move the rock fragments to the
surface.