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Weathering identification and geology

The in-situ breakdown of rock and mineral material at or near the Earth's surface through physical mechanical , chemical, and biological processes. Physical weathering frost wedging, thermal expansion, root growth, salt crystallization breaks rock into smaller fragments without changing composition. Chemical weathering dissolution, oxidation, hydrolysis, carbonation alters the chemical composition and produces new minerals. Weathering prepares material for erosion and transport. Field: geomorphology. Example: Chemical weathering of feldspar by carbonic acid hydrolysis converts feldspar to clay minerals and dissolved silica—this is the dominant weathering reaction in the Earth's crust and is responsible for producing most of the world's clay minerals.. Related terms: Erosion, Chemical weathering, Physical weathering, Regolith.

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  • Erosion
  • Regolith

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.096023+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Weathering mean in geology?
The in-situ breakdown of rock and mineral material at or near the Earth's surface through physical mechanical , chemical, and biological processes. Physical weathering frost wedging, thermal expansion, root growth, salt crystallization breaks rock into smaller fragments without changing composition. Chemical weathering dissolution, oxidation, hydrolysis, carbonation alters the chemical composition and produces new minerals. Weathering prepares material for erosion and transport.
What is an example of Weathering?
Chemical weathering of feldspar by carbonic acid hydrolysis converts feldspar to clay minerals and dissolved silica—this is the dominant weathering reaction in the Earth's crust and is responsible for producing most of the world's clay minerals.
Which earth-science field uses the term Weathering?
Weathering is used in geomorphology.
Which terms are related to Weathering?
Related terms in this reference are Erosion, Chemical weathering, Physical weathering, Regolith.

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