Exogenic processes - It is the processes which occur on earth’s surface due to the influence of exogenic

forces.

Exogenic forces - the forces which derive their strength from the earth’s exterior or originate within the
earth’s atmosphere.

What is weathering?

Weathering is the mechanical and chemical hammer that breaks down and sculpts.

What are the two kinds of weathering?

Physical Weathering – also known as mechanical weathering. It refers to the breakdown of rocks without
a change in its composition.

Chemical Weathering – is the decomposition of rocks due to chemical reactions occurring between the
minerals in rocks and the environment.

What are the processes that can cause physical weathering?

Thermal and Pressure Change

Changes in temperature contribute to expansion and contraction of the rocks. When the temperature
of the rock rises, the rocks expands and when the temperature of the rocks decreases, the rock
contracts.

Freeze and Thaw

When water enters the rocks through the pores and cracks, it freezes. Once the frozen water is within
the rocks, it expands by about 10% thus opening the cracks a bit wider.

Wind and Waves

Tiny grains of sand are picked up and carried off by the wind, which are then blasted on the surface of
rocks, smoothening them. This could wear a rock and weather it.
 On the seashore, the action of waves chips away and cracks the rocks.

Organic activity

Trees and other plants can wear away rocks when their roots penetrate into the cracks in the rocks. As
the roots get bigger, they exert pressure on rocks and make the cracks wider and deeper, eventually
breaking the rocks apart. Burrowing animals such as moles, squirrels and rabbits loosen and disintegrate
the rocks in the soil.

What are the processes that can cause chemical weathering?

Hydration/Hydrolysis

It is the chemical reactions caused by water. Water reacts with the rock and alters the size and chemical
compositions of the minerals, lessening their resistance to weathering. Whenever minerals are
hydrolyzed, crystal rocks and clay minerals such as calcium, potassium, and sodium ions are produced.

2. Carbonation

Carbonation is the mixing of water with carbon dioxide to make carbonic acid.

Carbonation takes place when the rock minerals react with weak carbonic acid formed when water
combines with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

*Rain water is naturally acidic because carbon dioxide gas chemically reacts with it and produces
carbonic acid, a weak acid, which reacts slowly with carbonate mineral rocks.

3. Oxidation

It is also known as rusting. It is the process whereby the rock minerals lose one or more ions or atoms in
the presence of oxygen. When minerals in the rock oxidize, they become less resistant to weathering.
Oxygen combines with other substances via the oxidation process giving rise to the ion or atom lose.
What is erosion?

Erosion involves the movement of the weathered rock (now soil, sand or pebbles) from their site of
weathering by the agents of erosion such as wind, moving water, ice, and gravity.

*Erosion always follows after weathering.

*The main driving force behind all agents of erosion is gravity.

*Without gravity the other major natural agents of erosion such as: wind, running water, glaciers, waves,
and rain would not occur.

Transport makes erosion complete because it involves the movement of the eroded materials and
sediments.

Transport by Water

Rain water is the most important agent of erosion.

The movement of water is always from a higher level to a lower one in response to gravitational force.

Water can carry almost any size of rocks.

The greater the volume of water and the steeper the slope, the bigger and more rocks can be
transported.

b. Transport by Wind

Wind continuously blows away loose particles of rocks and soil from place to place.