Geologic Processes

Changes in our world is inevitable

Weathering

Soil Erosion and transport

Mass waiting

Exogenous Processes

Geologic processes happening on the surface of the Earth.

Entheogenic Processes

Processes that happens beneath the surface of the Earth.

Weathering

the disintegration of rocks, soil, and minerals together with other materials through contact with
Earth’s subsystems.

Types of Weathering

Physical

Chemical

Biological

Physical Weathering
Breakdown of rocks by physical or mechanical force concentrated along rock fractures.

Frost wedging a process in which water freezes in a crack of a rock and then the expansion edges
the rock apart.

Root wedging a process in which joints expand when plants growing on its surface pry it open.

Salt wedging a process in which salt concentrated water penetrates rock fractures and then
crystallizes causing the rock to break apart.

Abrasion is a process that consists of the grinding and rounding of rock surfaces by friction and
impact caused by waves and glaciers.

Thermal expansion and contraction occurs when temperature changes rapidly, causing the surface
of the rock to heat or cool.

Chemical Weathering
The process by which rocks break down by chemical reactions.

Dissolution

Geologic Processes 1
 Process in which a mineral or rock dissolves in water forming a solution like halite dissolved in
water.

Hydrolysis

Occurs when water reacts with the minerals and breaks them down.

Oxidation

The reaction of oxygen with minerals in the form of oxides.

When free oxygen combines chemically with metallic elements (usually iron)

Biological Weathering
Occurs in roots of plants, fungi, and lichens secrete organic acids that dissolve minerals.

Erosion

Process characterized by removal of rock particle from where they were formed.

This is dues to some agents such as water, wind, waves, rain, and ice.

Involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks

Transportation of materials

Soil Erosion

Causes of soil erosion:

Running water

Gravity

human activities

Animals

Human Activities:

Kaingin farming or Slash/Burn Method

Logging

Infrastructure Projects/Land

Conversion

Mining

Overgrazing

Major Effects:

Farmlands and forests deterioration

Floods and droughts

Siltation of rivers and water reservoir

Geologic Processes 2
 Houses and infrastructure damages

Life casualties

Controlling and Reducing Extreme Effects:

Rehabilitative Method - used in badly eroded areas, involves the use of vegetation and engineering
structure.

Vegetative Method

Mechanical Method

Preventive Method - used in slightly eroded areas, involves forest fire prevention, proper land use,
forest management, proper road construction, and education of the people

Erosion
Deposition

The geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or land mass.
Wind, ice, water, and gravity transport previously weathered surface material, which, at the loss of
enough kinetic energy in the fluid, is deposited, building up layers of sediment.

Mass Wasting

Landslide

The movement of large masses of materials (rock, debris, soil mud) down a slope or a steep hill or
mountain due to gravity.

→ Debris flow
→ Mud flow
→ Slump

Debris Flow

Happens when a large amount of sediments, usually rocks or various sizes, falls down the slope.

Unlike a landslide, debris flow does not need water to flow down

Caused by gravity

Mud flow

Happens when combined soil and water flow down a slope.

This usually happens near rivers or streams where soil or sand is always moist or has been soaked
in water for a long time.

The weigh of the mudflow indicates the severity of risk when it flows down a community.

Slump

A slow movement of soil along a curved surface.

Geologic Processes 3
 In time, the area would look curved because of the depression formed by the sinking land.

Factors triggering and controlling Mass Wasting

Water

over steepened slopes

Vegetation removal

Earthquakes

Magmatism

Magma is the original material that make up igneous rocks.

Magmatism happens when magma is generated and develops into igneous (magmatic) rocks.

Can take place either under the surface or on the surface of Earth.

Volcanism (Plutonism)

Usually happens after magma is formed

Magma escapes through openings such as volcanoes or cracks on the ground with extreme heat and
pressure and may cause destructive explosions.

Lava is a magma on Earth’s Surface.

Types of Stress that Influence

Geologic stress is the force that acts on the rocks thereby creating different behavior or
characteristics.

1. Compressional

2. Tensional

3. Shear

4. Confining

Compressional

Rocks push or squeeze against one another.

Tensional

Rocks are pulled apart

Shear

Some of the portions of a plate at the edges may break away in different directions, making the plat
smaller in size.

Confining

Geologic Processes 4
 Crust becomes compacts, making it look smaller.

Geologic Processes 5