Question

How does weathering affect the earth’s surface?

Answer 1

Hint: When there is breaking down of rocks, soils, minerals, wood and also artificial material because of their contact with the earth’s atmosphere, water and biological organisms it is called weathering. Once the breakdown happens then another process takes place known as erosion.

Complete answer: Creation and modification of landforms which are present on the earth’s surface is the major effect of weathering on the earth’s surface. Due to weathering the disintegration or alteration of minerals and rocks occur and this shapes the earth’s surface.

One of the characteristics of weathering is that it occurs in situ (on site, without displacement). It occurs in the same place, with little or no movement and this property makes it different from erosion. In erosion the transport of rocks and minerals occurs by various agents such as water, ice, snow, wind, waves and gravity.

Physical weathering and chemical weathering are the two important classification of weathering processes. Mechanical weathering is also known as physical weathering and in it the disintegration of rocks occurs without chemical change and abrasion is the primary process of physical weathering. Composition of rocks changes and transformation occurs when water interacts with minerals to create various chemical reactions this happens in chemical weathering. Dissolution, carbonation, hydration, hydrolysis, oxidation are the process by which chemical weathering occurs.

There is another type of weathering and it is known as biological weathering. In this type of weathering the disintegration takes place because of living organisms. One example of this is that trees and plants can grow in the cracks of rock formation.

Note: Erosion is different from weathering. In erosion the transportation of dissolved materials occurs from one place to another and there are various agents of erosion which help in this transportation.