Osolin 1

Karla Osolin
April 24, 2014
ESCI1310_ CRN 18788
Chapter 15 Assignment
Key Terms and Concepts
1. Denudation is the overall effect of the disintegration, wearing away, and removal
of rock material; a lowering of continental surfaces. It is accomplished by the interaction of
three types of activities that include: weathering, mass wasting and erosion.
2. Weathering is the breaking down of rock into smaller components by atmospheric
and biotic action agencies. Mass wasting involves the relatively short-distance downslope
movement of broken rock material under the direct influence of gravity. Erosion consists of the
removal, transportation, and eventual deposition of fragmented rock material over wider areas
and sometimes to greater distances than is the case in mass wasting.
3. Rock openings allow moisture and atmospheric gases to penetrate the bedrock,
increasing the surface area of the rock exposed to weathering processes.
6. Mechanical weathering entails the physical breakup of rock through stress;
chemical weathering entails chemical reactions that decompose the minerals in a rock.
7. In frost wedging, liquid water seeps into a joint or crack in the rock; when the
water freezes, the ice expands and pries open the crack.
11. Hydrolysis is a chemical union of water with another substance to produce a new
compound that is nearly always softer and weaker than the original. Carbonation is a process in
which carbon dioxide in water reacts with carbonate rocks to produce a very soluble product
(calcium bicarbonate), which can readily be removed by runoff or percolation, and which can
also be deposited in crystalline form in the water is evaporated.
13. Differential weathering is when some rock is strong and resistant to weathering,
whereas other rock is weak and easily weathered.
14. The angle of repose, which varies with the nature and internal cohesion of the
material, represents a fine balance between the pull of gravity and the cohesion and friction of
the rock material. If additional material accumulates on the debris pile lying on a slope that is
near the angle of repose, the newly added material may upset the balance and may cause all or
part of the material to slide downward.
Osolin 2
19. Heavy rainfall can trigger a landslide because the rain can soak in and add weight
to weathered rock on a slope, making it more susceptible to sliding.
20. A slump is a slope collapse with backward rotation and involves movement along
a curved sliding plane, whereas a landslide involves rapid downward movement of masses of
weathered rock along a flat sliding plain.

Study Questions
1. It is possible for weathering to take place beneath the surface of bedrock through
open spaces in the rock bodies and even between mineral grains. Subsurface weathering is
initiated along these openings, which can be penetrated by such weathering agents as water, air,
and plant roots. As time passes, the weathering effects spread from the vicinity of the openings
into the denser rock beyond.
2. Virtually all chemical weathering requires moisture. Thus, an abundance of water
enhances the effectiveness of chemical weathering, and chemical processes operate more rapidly
in humid climates than in arid areas. Moreover, chemical reactions are more rapid under high
temperature conditions than in cooler regions.
3. The main force responsible for mass wasting is gravity. Mass wasting is the
downslope movement of broken rock material. Gravity pulls objects towards the center of the
Earth. Gravity makes any loosened material impel downslope and in some cases falling abruptly
or rolling rapidly, in others flowing or creeping with imperceptible gradualness.
4. Clay is a facilitator in mass wasting. It readily absorbs water and this absorbed
water, combined with the fine-grained texture of the material, makes clay a very slippery and
mobile substance. Any material resting on clay can often be set in motion by rainfall or an
earthquake shock, even on a very gentle slope. Quick clays spontaneously change from a
relatively solid mass to a near-liquid condition as a result of the sudden disturbance or shock.
5. When water is added to the rock material through rainfall, mobility is increased,
particularly if the rock fragments are small. This water acts as a lubricator and diminishes
friction between particles so that they can slide pas one another more rapidly. Water also adds to
the buoyancy and weight of the weathered material, which makes for a lower angle of repose and
adds momentum once movement is under way.