What type of weathering is frost shattering?

What type of weathering is frost shattering?

The freeze-thaw weathering process is also known as frost shattering. Water – eg from rainfall or melting snow and ice – becomes trapped in a crack or joint in the rock. If the air temperature drops below freezing, the water will freeze and expand by 9-10 per cent putting pressure on the rock.

Is frost shattering physical weathering?

Frost weathering is a collective term for several mechanical weathering processes induced by stresses created by the freezing of water into ice. The term serves as an umbrella term for a variety of processes such as frost shattering, frost wedging and cryofracturing.

What does frost shattering mean?

the mechanical disintegration of rock by the pressure of water freezing in pores and along grain boundaries.

What is frost action in weathering?

Frost action is the repeated cycle of ice formation and ice melt in the pore spaces and fractures of rocks causing disintegration of the rock. When water in rock pores freezes, its volume increases by about 10%. This can create a significant amount of pressure on rocks.

What are the 4 types of weathering?

There are four main types of weathering. These are freeze-thaw, onion skin (exfoliation), chemical and biological weathering. Most rocks are very hard. However, a very small amount of water can cause them to break.

What does frost wedging mean?

the mechanical disintegration, splitting or break-up of rock by the pressure of water freezing in cracks, crevices, pores, joints or bedding planes.

Why is frost shattering climate related?

Freeze-Thaw Weathering: also called frost-shattering as it occurs in cold climates when temperatures are often around freezing point and where exposed rocks contain many cracks. As the water turns into ice it expands and exerts pressure on the surrounding rock, causing pieces to break off.

What do you need to know about frost shattering?

Frost shattering is the mechanical weathering and breakdown of rocks and is a regular process in a Periglacial environment leading to the formation of various Periglacial landforms. Frost shattering occurs in joints or cracks in rocks in areas where the temperature fluctuates around 0oC.

What is the process of ice wedging or frost shattering?

Ice wedging, also called frost wedging or frost shattering is a process where water seeps into cracks in rocks and freezes. Since water expands when it freezes this cpushes the cracks further open, eventually breaking the rock apart.

Where does the article about frost weathering come from?

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased. the mechanical disintegration of rocks brought about by periodic frost action, which makes them crack, and the wedging action of the water freezing in the cracks.

How is mechanical weathering used to break up rock?

Once the rock has been weakened and broken up by weathering it is ready for erosion. Erosion happens when rocks and sediments are picked up and moved to another place by ice, water, wind or gravity. Mechanical weathering physically breaks up rock. One example is called frost action or frost shattering. Water gets into cracks and joints in bedrock.