Earth Science

 Second Quarter Content

III. EARTH PROCESSES
1. Exogenic Processes
2. Endogenic Processes
3. Deformation of the Crust
4. Plate Tectonics
IV. HISTORY OF THE EARTH
1. Major Events in Earth’s Past
 Earth Science
 Second Quarter Performance Tasks
1. make a simple map showing places where erosion
and landslides may pose risks in the community
(Major PT)
2. using maps, diagrams, or models, predict what
could happen in the future as the tectonic plates
continue to move (Major PT)
3. describe the possible geologic events that
occurred in a certain area (Minor PT)
Exogenic
Processes
Weathering
1. Mechanical
2. Chemical
 Objectives
 Describe how rocks undergo weathering
Specific Learning Outcomes

1. define weathering
2. distinguish between the two main types of
weathering; and
 Exogenic Processes
External processes that occur at or near
the surface of the earth
Part of the rock cycle
Responsible for transforming rock into
sediments
Include

1. degradation and
2. aggradation processes
 Weathering
Physical breakdown and/or chemical
alteration of rocks at or near Earth’s
surface
occurs as a response to the

1. low pressure,
2. low temperature, and
3. water and oxygen rich nature of the
Earth’s surface.
 Board Activity
 Based on the concepts discussed in the video, analyze the
following pictures then fill out the table below by
classifying the image if it undergone mechanical or
chemical weathering. Write the corresponding letter of each
picture to where it belongs.

Mechanical weathering Chemical weathering

Mechanical or Chemical
Weathering?

C
A B
F
D E
 Activity
Objective:
To identify the types of weathering
and the factors that influence the rate
of weathering.
 Physical or Mechanical Weathering
Breaking up of large rocks into smaller
fragments without changing the rock’s
mineral composition
 Chemical Weathering
decomposes rocks through chemical reactions
that change the original rock-forming
minerals.
1
Observe the pictures and match the
weathering processes by citing the letter
of the correct answer.

2 A.Salt crystal
growth
B.Frost wedging
C.Biological
3 4 activity
D.Abrasion
 Mechanical Weathering
Frost Wedging or frost weathering
Occurs in regions where temperature
fluctuates above and below freezing point,
resulting in a freeze-thaw cycle
 Salt crystal growth
force exerted by salt crystal that formed as
water evaporates from pore spaces or cracks in
rocks can cause the rock to fall apart
1. In arid climates, dissolved salt in groundwater
precipitates and grows as crystals in open
pore spaces in rocks.
2. The same phenomenon happens along the
coast, where salt spray percolates into rock
and then dries
Salt crystal
growth
 Abrasion
wearing away of rocks by constant collision
of loose particles
 one rock bumps against another rock.
 Factors causing abrasion:
1. Moving water
2. Strong winds
3. the ice in glaciers
1. Moving water
Factors causing
abrasion:

2. Strong winds

3. the ice in glaciers

Biological activity

plants and animals

(including humans)
as agents of
mechanical
weathering
 Root wedging
As roots grow, they
apply pressure to
their surroundings,
and can push joints
open in a process
known as root
wedging.
 Chemical Weathering
decomposes rocks through chemical reactions
that change the original rock-forming
minerals.
 Oxidation
 oxygen from the atmosphere reacts with metal
elements in the rocks to form oxides.
 The most common metal involved is iron.
 It reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide minerals
such as hematite (Fe2O3)
 Oxide minerals tend to be structurally weak and
easily crumbled
 Chemical Weathering
Oxidation
Reddish- brown rust
will appear on the
surface of iron-rich
minerals which
easily crumbles and
weakens the rock
 Chemical Weathering
Hydrolysis
 Chemical breakdown of a substance when
combined with water

Mg2Si4 + 4H2O Mg(OH)2 + H4SiO4

olivine water Magnesium Silicic
hydroxide acid in
solution
Ions in the feldspar, a mineral often found in granite, are
dissolved by the water.
These ions react with the water to form clay minerals.
 Chemical Weathering
Dissolution
dissociation of molecules into ions;
common example includes dissolution of
calcite and salt
the gradual action of carbonic acid on
limestone (main mineral: calcite, or CaCO 3)
over a very long timespan is responsible for
all of the world's spectacular limestone
caves.
 Chemical Weathering
Carbonation and Solution
 Combine or infuse carbon dioxide

CO2 + H2 O H2CO3
Carbon water Carbonic
dioxide
acid
CaCO3 + H2CO3 Ca(HCO3)2
Calcium Carbonic Calcium
Carbonate Bicarbonate
acid
 Chemical Weathering
Biological action
 Some organisms release chelating or audifying
compounds that react with some minerals in
rocks
factors that affect the type, extent, and
rate at which weathering takes place:
1. Climate
 areas that are cold and dry tend to have
slow rates of chemical weathering and
weathering is mostly physical;
 chemical weathering is most active in areas
with high temperature and rainfall.
 factors that affect the type, extent, and
rate at which weathering takes place:
2. Rock type
 the minerals that constitute rocks have
different susceptibilities to weathering.
 olivine which crystallizes first is the least
resistant whereas; quartz which crystallizes
last is the most resistant.
 factors that affect the type, extent, and
rate at which weathering takes place:
3. Rock structure
 rate of weathering is affected by the presence of
joints, folds, faults, bedding planes through
which agents of weathering enter a rock mass.
 Highly jointed/fractured rocks disintegrate faster
than a solid mass of rock of the same dimension
 factors that affect the type, extent, and
rate at which weathering takes place:
4. Topography
 physical weathering occurs more quickly on a
steep slope than on a gentle one.
 On a gentle slope, water may stay longer in
contact with the rocks, hence chemical
weathering is enhanced.
factors that affect the type, extent, and
rate at which weathering takes place:
5. Time
 length of exposure to agents of weather
determines the degree of weathering of a
rock
  Dissolution time (seconds)
  Room Hot Room
temperature water temperature
water
vinegar
Whole      
tablet
Broken      
tablet
Crushed      
tablet
 Questions:
1. In what step, the mechanical weathering is done?
 In what step, the chemical weathering is done?
2. Which tablet size and liquid combination
resulted in fastest dissolution times?
3. What is the relationship between particle size
and time it takes for the tablet to dissolve?
 How does this relationship apply to weathering in
nature?
 Questions:
4. Using the activity as a model, explain how mechanical
weathering (breaking or crushing) contribute to chemical
weathering (dissolution)?
 How can you demonstrate that chemical weathering can
hasten mechanical weathering?
5. Is there marked difference in the dissolution rate in water
and vinegar both at room temperature?
 What caused the difference?
 What does dissolution in vinegar simulate in nature?
 Answers to questions
1. Which tablet size and liquid combination resulted in fastest
dissolution times?
 Crushed tablet in vinegar exhibited the fastest dissolution
rate
2. What is the relationship between particle size and time it
takes for the tablet to dissolve? How does this relationship
apply to weathering in nature?
 The larger the surface area the faster reaction will proceed.
In nature, smaller rocks weather faster than large rocks.
Cracked and pitted surfaces will weather faster than smooth
surfaces.
 Answers to questions
3. Using the activity as a model, explain how mechanical weathering
(breaking or crushing) contribute to chemical weathering (dissolution)?
How can you demonstrate that chemical weathering can hasten
mechanical weathering?
 Breaking and crushing the tablet exposes more surface area.
 As mechanical weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces, more surface
area is exposed which renders the rock more susceptible to attack by
agents of chemical weathering.
 Chemical weathering can speed up physical disintegration by weakening
the bonds between grains, loosening them to fall out physically.
 Placing a few drops of water on the tablet would soften it making
breaking/ crushing a lot easier.
 Answers to questions
4. Compare dissolution times in room temperature
water and hot water. Using this as a model, what
can you deduce about the relationship between
temperature and weathering rate?
 Faster dissolution times in hot water. Chemical
weathering proceeds more rapidly in higher
temperature
 Answers to questions
5. Is there marked difference in the dissolution rate in water
and vinegar both at room temperature? What caused the
difference? What does dissolution in vinegar simulate in
nature?
 Crushed tablet in vinegar exhibited the fastest
dissolution rate
 Chemical reactions tend to occur faster in vinegar
than in room temperature water.
 Dissolving antacid in vinegar represents the effect
of chemical weathering by acid rain.
 Answers to questions
Dissolving antacid in vinegar represents the
effect of chemical weathering by acid rain.
CH3COOH + NaHCO3 → CH3COONa + H2CO3
acid rain is produced when water in the
atmosphere combines with sulfur and
nitrogen compounds to form acids which
cause accelerated weathering.
 Answers to questions
6. In what environment would weathering rate
be fastest? Slowest? Explain your reasons
based on the observations from this lab
activity.
It can be concluded that weathering is
fastest in a combination of hot, wet
environment and fractured rocks.