Encyclopedia > Weathering

  Article Content

Weathering

Weathering is the process of change, especially decomposition, of rocks and other sediments due to chemical changes. When the changes are also due to mechanical processes, it's called erosion.

Chemical weathering of rock and sediment minerals and the leaching out (loss) of the more soluble parts produces soils.

The first-stage formation of caves, when limestone joints are enlarged due to the solution of the calcium carbonate, by the inorganic and humic acids[?] in the water, is a kind of weathering. The sub-surface breakdown of rock on hillsides is also a common mode of weathering. Where rock is especially resistant to subsoil weathering, rock outcrops occur, but more often the rock decomposition is taking place unseen due to chemical forces.



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
North Haven, New York

... km² (2.7 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 743 people, 337 households, and 209 ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 37 ms