What are Examples of Physical Weathering?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
Examples of physical weathering are a large granite exfoliation dome, the formation of tors, frost weathering, and heaving up gypsum and sodium chloride crystals. A large granite exfoliation dome near the Andhra Pradesh town of Bhongir (Bhuvanagiri) is an example of physical weathering. Exfoliation causes small to large boulders with smooth surfaces and rounded corners, known as tors, to form in rocks like granite.
Examples of Physical Weathering
Ice forms in the pores and fractures of rocks as a result of repeated cycles of freezing and melting, causing frost weathering. Sodium chloride and gypsum crystals heave up the top layers of materials in desert regions, causing polygonal fissures to appear all over the surface.
To comprehend the examples, you must first comprehend the Physical Weathering Process. The following examples demonstrate physical weathering:
Rapidly flowing water:
- Swiftly rushing water can raise rocks out of the streambed for brief periods.
- When these boulders fall, they bump into other rocks and fragment into tiny fragments.
Wedging ice:
Numerous rocks break as a result of ice wedging. It refers to the repeatedly frozen and melted water inside tiny rock fissures.
- The main reason for street potholes is this expansion and contraction.
- As the temperature dips below freezing, the water seeps into the cracks in the rocks and expands as ice.
- The cracks widened due to the expansion’s intense pressure and wedge-like effect on the nearby rock.
- The rock crumbles as a result of the frequent freezing and thawing of water.
Plant roots:
In fissures, plant roots can spread. A limited developing root can exert a lot of pressure. As the roots spread, they can split rocks apart and cause wider fissures in the rocks.
Summary:
What are Examples of Physical Weathering?
Examples of physical weathering are the formation of tors, sizable granite exfoliation dome, heaving up gypsum and sodium chloride crystals, and frost weathering. Physical weathering, also known as mechanical weathering, is the process by which rocks fracture without changing their chemical composition.
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