Forces like wind and water break down rocks through the processes of weathering and erosion. Forces like wind and water move the rock pieces. They mix with matter like sand to become sediment. Weathering and erosion help shape Earth’s surface.

What other geological processes affect landforms? Erosion is another geological process that creates landforms. When mechanical and chemical weathering breaks up materials on the Earth’s surface, erosion can move them to new locations. This can create new landforms.

Chemical weathering, such as acid rain, eats away at certain types of rocks, creating cracks and holes. Physical weathering is usually caused by extreme hot and cold temperatures. Water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, causing further breakdown of rocks.

The rate depends on temperature, surface area, and available water. The major reactions involved in chemical weathering are oxidation, hydrolysis, and carbonation. Oxidation is a reaction with oxygen to form an oxide, hydrolysis is reaction with water, and carbonation is a reaction with CO2 to form a carbonate.

Chemical weathering changes the composition of a mineral to break it down. The agents of chemical weathering include water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. Living organisms and humans can contribute to chemical weathering.

Chemical weathering is caused by rain water reacting with the mineral grains in rocks to form new minerals (clays) and soluble salts. These reactions occur particularly when the water is slightly acidic.

Chemical weathering causes the decomposition, dissolving and loosening of rocks. Chemical reactions destroy the bonds that hold the rocks together. This causes them to break into small pieces. One effect of chemical weathering is hydrolysis.

What does chemical weathering do to the original minerals? Chemical weathering changes the composition of the original minerals. What is the level or nearly level land that borders a river and is covered by river water in flood time called? floodplain.