The Resistance of Silicate Minerals to Weathering Rates - Assignment Example

Q2. Explain why joints and other fractures in rock are important in weathering processes.

The first phase in weathering of rocks is fracturing, which entails the formation of joints and cracks. Jointing is a means through which rocks yield to both external and internal stresses including tectonic movements, contraction, and expansion as a result of chemical or physical changes. Joints in rocks result from cooling or when pressure on their rock surface gets offloaded through erosion. Joints facilitate weathering by creating free space weathering agents, which increase the surface area of rocks exposed to agents of physical or chemical weathering (Spellman, 2009). “They play an important part in rock weathering as zones of weakness and water movement” (Spellman, 2009, p.96).

Q3. How would you decide if a building lot was safe from slope failure?

A slope failure refers to the collapsing of a slope caused by weakened stability of the earth in the event of an earthquake or heavy downpour. In most cases, slope failure often catches people unaware when it happens near residential areas causing high fatality rates. To determine whether a building lot is safe, it is important to assess slope failure factors such as gravity, the physical properties of slope materials, and the level of saturation of the area. Assessing all these factors would reveal the level of safety of the building lot. Read More