How Is Chemical Weathering Caused by Wind?
Nature's variable seasons and forces exert a considerable impact on soil environments and rock formations. As winds work to move particles and sediment about, settled debris can contribute to changes in the chemical composition of an environment. In effect, chemical and mechanical weathering forces work in tandem, one picking up where the other leaves off.
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Weathering
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Weathering is an ongoing process brought about by the changes that take place in the Earth's atmosphere. Over time, physical and chemical forces begin to alter rock formations and affect surrounding terrains, according to GeologyClass.org. Wind is a mechanical form of weathering that acts as an erosive force that disintegrates rock structures and transports bits and pieces of debris to other areas. As a result, sediment settles in new locations, causing new mineral formations to appear.
Mechanical Weathering
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Along with wind, water, ice and gravity make up the forces that cause mechanical weathering, according to the Water Encyclopedia. Wind currents take shape as they move across uneven land surfaces formed by hills, barriers and dips. Differences in atmosphere--heat, cold and humidity--can help to speed or slow wind current momentum. Combined with the forces of gravity, these continuous currents work to weaken rock structures and carry broken bits and debris to other locations.
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Chemical Weathering
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Chemical weathering is a process caused by atmospheric gases and water that wear away at rock surfaces. Atmospheric gases are made up of water vapors, oxygen and carbon dioxide. These elements eventually cause rock surfaces to decompose over time, according to GeologyClass.org. As surfaces erode, new mineral formations begin to develop. As rock surface areas increase, the rate of chemical weathering increases as well. In effect, wind currents play an influential role in altering surface areas and increasing the amount of chemical weathering that takes place.
Sedimentation
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According to the Science Encyclopedia, three types of sedimentation can result from erosion and wind current forces--mineral deposits, rock fragments and organic sediments. The relocation of mineral deposits can alter the chemical composition of an area, as mineral deposits tend to combine with surrounding particles and soil. The relocation of rock fragments can disrupt existing chemical compositions by dislodging and replacing existing rock materials. Organic sediments are made up bacterial organisms that decompose and alter the chemical makeup of existing rock and soil formations.
Erosion
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Wind erosion processes can pick up and transport sediment particles on a continuous basis over long stretches of land and water, according to the Science Encyclopedia. As wind current velocities can vary, sediment debris is transported in pieces according to weight, since gravity influences how far and fast material will travel. Areas that have undergone significant chemical weathering may be most affected by wind currents as loose mineral formations break away. Sediment debris from newly formed mineral formations can further perpetuate chemical weathering as deposits accumulate in new locations.
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