Weathering and Erosion Study Guide
1. Know all vocabulary from vocabulary sheet
Weathering
Physical (Mechanical)
Weathering
Deposition
Rocks
Agents of erosion
Agents of Physical/Mechanical
weathering
Disintegration
Chemical Weathering
Erosion
Minerals
Agents of Chemical
weathering
Soil
Decomposition
2. Recognize examples of mechanical (physical) and chemical weathering. Differentiate
between the two.
3. Correctly apply the terms disintegration and decomposition.
4. Given agents of weathering – identify the type of weathering the agent caused.
5. Recognize and explain how physical/mechanical weathering and chemical weathering
work together to break down rocks.
6. Explain how weathering and erosion interact to cause changes in Earth’s surface.
7. Recognize how water can act as an agent of physical and chemical weathering and how it
also erodes.
8. Recognize effect of small particle size/large surface area on rate or amount of weathering.
9. Recognize the four main factors that affect the rate of chemical weathering.
10. From examples or data tables, identify factors that affect weathering.
11. Identify the components of soil.
12. Recognize the sources of the components of soil; explain how the soil components become
soil.
13. From Investigation 1 – large marble chip has less surface area and weathers more slowly
than powdered calcium carbonate; marble is made of more than calcium carbonate so not
all of the marble chip weathers the same way with acid; chemical weathering then makes
physical weathering easier
14. From Investigation 2 – steeper the slope, the more erosion can occur; obstacles like rocks
and vegetation can slow the progress of erosion or divert the path of the erosion
15. From Investigation 3 – identify components of soil; components of soil can be separated
according to their size differences.
Summary:
Rocks are physically weathered by breaking them into smaller and smaller pieces. The
rocks do not change their chemical composition when they are physically weathered. Rocks are
chemically weathered when compounds in the rock react chemically with other chemicals. The
chemical nature of the rocks changes. Minerals in the rocks are decomposed into other
chemicals because of the chemical reactions.
1
By physically breaking rocks into smaller pieces, physical weathering exposes more of a
rock’s surface to chemical weathering. The combination of the two speeds the overall process of
weathering.
When erosion takes place, soil is moved from one location to another. If erosion occurs
on a slope, soil will be washed down the slope.
Soil from a steep slope will be eroded more than the soil from a less steep slope.
Obstacles such as rocks and vegetation will decrease the erosion of soil from the slope.
Some components of soil include gravel, organic material, and sand.
The different components of soil are different chemically and in size.
2