Ask a Teacher



discuss the ways in which weathering of rocks occur

When rocks get exposed to wind ,rain ,heat and frost ,they break apart and crumble to form soil over a period of time .This process is known  as weathering .The broken pieces of rock are carried away by wind ,glaciers and rivers .This process of carrying away of weathered material is known as erosion .The material being transported can also cause further erosion by rubbing .The eroded material is finally deposited as pebbles ,sand or mud ,depending upon the speed at which the water flows .The following are the agents which lead to the weathering of rocks and formation of soil .


(i) Frost and water      :    After it rains , water trapped in cracks and crevices inside rocks. In cold weather ,the trapped water freezes and expands .This causes rocks to crack and break  into pieces .Continuous movement of water over the broken pieces further breaks them to ultimately form the soil .

(ii)  Temperature changes   :    During the day ,rocks get heated up and they expand .At night ,they cool and contract .This repeated contraction and expansion of  rocks results in  breaking of rocks into pieces and formation of soil .

(iii)Wind                            :  Wind blowing across rock surfaces rubs against them  and breaks away tiny particles of rocks .These particles are carried to great distances by wind and broken down to form soil .





 








comments powered by Disqus