Recall the "Explosion of Erosion" Lab.
What are the different agents of physical weathering (When forces of weathering break rocks into smaller pieces but do not change the chemical makeup of the rocks)?
*Temperature - Heating cycle of rocks (night - warm on inside, cold on outside)[Recall that you are a rock in the desert!]
*Frost Action - water seeping into a crack in a rock and freezing
*Organic Activity - roots growing in a crack [you saw this on a poster in Mr. Purnell's room]
*Gravity - a landslide from loose rocks
*Abrasion - created by constant collision [recall our discussion on a rock flowing down a river colliding with other rocks!]
*Erosion - When a rock is moved from its origin.
Recall the Totally cool although foul-smelling "Chemical Changes" Lab.
What are the different agents of chemical weathering (When the chemical makeup of a rock has been changed.)?
*Water
1. can dissolve a mineral (remember the salt in water)
2. can form acid rain when mixed with gases in the atmosphere (Recall the Sulfuric Acid video)
3. can form a new mineral (Clay! I passed around Feldspar!!!)
*Oxidation - Rust
*Carbonation - Acid Rain (Carbon Dioxide + Water) Not powerful [fizz in soda]
*Sulfuric Acids - Sulfur Oxide in air (caused by burning coal as an energy source) Strong Acid Rain
*Plant Acids - weak (Mosses)
