ESS262H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Differential Stress, Crystallization, Lithification
Document Summary
The rock cycle: comprises the processes whereby materials within and on top earth"s crust are weathered, transported, deposited, deformed altered, melted and reformed into new rock. Rock does not always take the long way around this cycle there are many shortcuts from one part of the rock cycle to another. End result of weathering (global scale) is regolith. Regolith: irregular blanket of loose uncemented rock particles that covers earth"s surface (soil is part of this) Decomposition of rocks and minerals due to weal solution of carbonic acid formed when rainwater dissolves co2. Physical weathering: frost wedging, precipitation of salts in fractures, fire breakage and wedging by root plants. 3 principle families of sediment: clastic: bits of broken rock and minerals that moved as solid particles e. g. graval, sand, silt, clay. Deposited in low-lying areas controlled by plate tectonics: troughs, rift valleys, trenches, basins.
