GEOL 1001 : Exam 2
Document Summary
Weathering- process by which rocks are broken down at earth"s surface to produce sediment particles. Physical weathering- when solid rock is fragmented by mechanical processes such as freezing, thawing, or wedging by tree roots; does not change chemical composition (ex: rubble at tops of mountains and hills) Chemical weathering- when the minerals in a rock are chemically altered or dissolved (ex: blurring on old gravestones) Siliciclastic- physical and chemical weathering form clastic particles (most are produced by the weathering of common rocks composed largely of silicate minerals); sediments formed from these particles are siliciclastic. Chemical- caused by chemical reactions precipitating dissolved ions and molecules from waters of soils, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Biological- the result of mineral precipitation by organisms such as mollusks and corals (they precipitate minerals as they grow and when they die, their shells accumulate as sediments) Transport- the journey of sediments to a sedimentary basin. The stronger the current (faster), the larger particles it transports.
