Processes that erode cliffs at their top and face
are called weathering processes or sub-aerial
weathering processes
Physical/mechanical weathering
Breaks into smaller pieces
Freeze thaw
Water fills a crack in a rock and
freezes, it will expand and create a
strain on the rock. A result of this
process repeating over and over
causes the rock to break
Salt crystallisation
When salt water fills a crack in a
rock. When the water evaporats
the salt crystals are left behind
and over time they build up,
separating the rock and
eventually splitting it.
Chemical weathering
Break down into
component parts
Carbonation
Rain water is naturally acidic and the acids
often react with the chemicals in rock. It is
affective against rock with a high calcium
carbonate content like limestone.
Rust
When water causes
metals (e.g. Iron) to rust
Hydration
Rocks with a high clay content are
capable of absorbing water. This causes
them to swell and eventually break
into separate elements.
Hydrolysis
When hydrogen in rocks react
with water, causing the
minerals to chemically break
down
Biological weathering
Carried out by living organisms
Combination of both physical and chemical weathering
E.g. Rabbits physically eroding rocks when burrowning. Excretions chemically erode rocks
Mass Movement
Rock slides
Chunks/slabs of rock break awaty from
the cliff. They could be layers of surface
rock that slide down the cliff face.
Rock falls
Rocks break and fall off of a cliff due
to freeze-thaw
Slumps
Typically occurs after heavy periods of rainfall.
The top layer of the cliff face becomes saturated
with rainwater, and as a result of the water
logging it can't support its own weight and the
whole section of material slides off
Downward movement of weathered
rock under the influence of gravity