WEATHERING | DEFINITION, FACTORS, TYPES, PROCESSES, FEATURES AND IMPORTANCE
WEATHERING refers to the process of weakening, breaking up, and disintegration of the rock that forms the surface of the ground and that lie exposed to the weather. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE RATE AND NATURE (TYPE AND CHARACTER) OF WEATHERING. THE NATURE OF THE PARENT ROCK. Mineralogical composition of the rock: the mineral composition of the rock is very important in determining the rate and character of weathering from rock to rock e.g. igneous rocks are more prone to chemical weathering because they are formed under conditions very different from those operating on the earth’s surface and they are therefore not chemically stable on the earth’s surface. So when rocks come into contact with water, chemical weathering sets in at a very fast rate when exposed onto the earth’s surface. Examples of such rocks which can easily be weather are basic igneous rocks with low silica content. On the other hand, rocks with high silica content like granitic ...