Question

Distinguish between weathering and mass wasting. Answer in brief.

Answer 1

Hey mate!!

➡️Mechanical weathering involves physically breaking rocks into fragments without changing the chemical make-up of the minerals within it. ... As soon as a rock particle (loosened by one of the twoweathering processes) moves, we call it erosion or mass wasting. Mass wasting is simply movement down slope due to gravity.

Answer 2

Distinguish between weathering and mass wasting:

Weathering:

• 'Weathering' refers to the action of weather that causes the rock to change in aesthetics slowly and gradually.

• Hence, weathering is a slow and continued process of physical deformation of rocks that are exposed to the components of weather directly.

• It takes place only at the level of the surface of the rock.

• Continuous weathering can change the appearance of the rock gradually and may also bring chemical changes to some extent.

Mass Wasting:

• 'Mass Wasting' is said to have occurred when a big lump of a larger rock comes down a slope as a large single piece or in smaller broken pieces.

• Mass wasting takes place all of a sudden; it is not a slow and gradual process.

• It does not only affect the surface but carries the mass from a certain depth of the rock down the slope.

• Along with forces like atmosphere, heat, and water, gravity also plays an important role in the process of mass wasting.