Is named weathering to disintegration and decomposition of a rock on the surface of the earth, or, failing that, close to it, as a result of exposure to atmospheric agents and with the participation of biological agents.
By significantly reducing the consistency of the stone masses, weathering is the prelude to the erosion.
There are different types of weathering ... physical weatheringWhat occurs is rupture or disintegration in the rock, that is, the piece is disintegrating into smaller parts each time, facilitating the erosion process and its subsequent transport. It is caused by environmental conditions such as: heat, salt and water.
For its part, the chemical weathering, produces a transformation in the rock, causing loss of cohesion and alteration. The processes involved are the so-called atmospheric ones such as oxygen, water vapor and carbon dioxide.
And finally the biological weathering, also known as external weathering, which consists of the transformation that some living beings cause in rocks. For example, plant roots burrow between cracks and act as wedges. Almost at the same time, they will leave their footprints on the rocks through the substances they secrete. For example, the nests that termites cause in the soil of the Gran Sabana, causes a considerable alteration in the minerals of the soil and subsoil, while this alteration favors the growth of some plants.
