Weathering Reactions in Rocky Mountain
TERM PAPER
[GEOCHEMISTRY OF NATURAL WATERS]
Weathering Reaction
In Rocky Mountains
Thursday,
December 6th, 2012
BIOL-4060
Abstract: Our planet continues to be influenced by geological processes which help make the way look it is today, some of these account for weathering. Weathering is essentially the breakdown of rocks, soils and minerals in water and land through interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere. Weathering occurs by means of two processes, physical and chemical. Chemical weathering involves atmospheric chemicals in breakdown of rocks and solids. Physical weathering occurs more frequently than chemical and it also involves breakdown of rocks and solids but this is more direct and less chemicals involved. To understand how weathering really works we have to take an example of Rocky Mountain. Weathering has had a major impact on this region for the past years. Rocky Mountains are a major mountain region which stretches from British Columbia, Canada to South-western United States. This paper investigates the different types of weathering reaction in the rocky mountain regions, how it affects the region, what features are formed as a result of weathering reactions. The dissolved minerals present in some of the water bodies around the Rocky Mountains. Anthropogenic effect due to weathering rates and many more interesting topics are discussed in detail.
Introduction
Through the course of geological history, the Earth has witnessed many major events which have transformed it into the present Earth we see today. At the start of the geological time scale earth was known to be molten because of frequently occurring volcanic activities and collisions within the Earth’s crust. Surfaces continued to reshape themselves over periods of hundreds to millions of years through geological processes some of which are weathering, and this helped shape up continents which would at times break apart and form together. Weathering is essentially the breakdown
[GEOCHEMISTRY OF NATURAL WATERS]
Weathering Reaction
In Rocky Mountains
Thursday,
December 6th, 2012
BIOL-4060
Abstract: Our planet continues to be influenced by geological processes which help make the way look it is today, some of these account for weathering. Weathering is essentially the breakdown of rocks, soils and minerals in water and land through interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere. Weathering occurs by means of two processes, physical and chemical. Chemical weathering involves atmospheric chemicals in breakdown of rocks and solids. Physical weathering occurs more frequently than chemical and it also involves breakdown of rocks and solids but this is more direct and less chemicals involved. To understand how weathering really works we have to take an example of Rocky Mountain. Weathering has had a major impact on this region for the past years. Rocky Mountains are a major mountain region which stretches from British Columbia, Canada to South-western United States. This paper investigates the different types of weathering reaction in the rocky mountain regions, how it affects the region, what features are formed as a result of weathering reactions. The dissolved minerals present in some of the water bodies around the Rocky Mountains. Anthropogenic effect due to weathering rates and many more interesting topics are discussed in detail.
Introduction
Through the course of geological history, the Earth has witnessed many major events which have transformed it into the present Earth we see today. At the start of the geological time scale earth was known to be molten because of frequently occurring volcanic activities and collisions within the Earth’s crust. Surfaces continued to reshape themselves over periods of hundreds to millions of years through geological processes some of which are weathering, and this helped shape up continents which would at times break apart and form together. Weathering is essentially the breakdown
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