These are external processes that occur

near the Earth’s surface.

The external processes or exogenic
processes are essential parts of rock cycle
because they transform solid rocks into
sediments.
The breaking down of rocks and other
materials on the Earth’s surface.
Large pieces of rocks break and over
long periods of time, the rocks
crumble and decay.
Rocks on the Earth’s surface may
undergo:
1. mechanical weathering
2. chemical weathering
Occurs when rocks break into pieces
without changing their chemical
composition.
Causes rocks to be broken into smaller
pieces.
Different agents of mechanical weathering
are:
1. temperature
2. frost action
3. abrasion
4. action of living things
During the day, the Earth’s
surface is heated by the Sun. As
the surface of the rock is heated, it
expands but it remains cool inside.
During the night when the
temperature drops, the surface of
the rock is cooled and the rock
contracts.
The repeated changes in
temperature causes the surface of
the rock to peel off and this type
of breaking is called exfoliation.
Occurs when water seeps
into the small cracks of rock
layers.
The wearing off of rocks by
solid particles carried by
wind, water and other
agents.
Plants, animals and even
humans can cause
mechanical weathering.
Occurs when the chemical
composition of rock is changed due to
the action of other substances.
Changes the mineral content and the
chemical composition of rocks.
 Different agents of chemical weathering are:
1. water
2. oxygen
3. carbon dioxide
4. sulfuric acid
5. acids and chemicals from organisms
Almost all chemical weathering is
due to the action of water.
Water can dissolve most of the
minerals present in rocks.
It combines with other
substances to form entirely
new substances.
Carbon dioxide in air
combines with rain water to
form a weak solution of
carbonic acid.
They combine with rain water
to form sulfuric acid and easily
corrodes rocks, metals, and
other materials.
Organisms such as plants can
produce acids and other
chemicals that dissolve some
minerals in rocks.
The processes that happen inside the
Earth.
These processes are important parts of
Earth system for they are the ones that
cause changes on the Earth’s surface.
These processes include the
1. heating of the earth’s interior
2. formation of magma
3. metamorphism of rocks
 It’s heat comes from 3 different sources:
1. heat that was left during the formation of
the Earth
2. the gravitational pressure on the core caused
by tidal forces of the Sun, Moon, other
planets and the rotation of the Earth
3. the radioactive decay of elements in the core.
Magma- an extremely hot and viscous
mixture of molten and semi-molten rocks
and beneath the surface of the Earth. It
originates from the lower part of the
Earth’s crust and in the upper portion of the
mantle.
 Decompression melting – a process in which
magma forms due to decreased rock pressure.
It often occurs at divergent boundaries where
tectonic plates separate. This type of melting
process also occurs at mantle plumes which are
small rising columns of hot plastic mantle rock.
Heat transfer- can also form magma when
hot, liquid rock pushes itself to Earth’s cold
crust. Transfer of heat often happens at
convergent boundaries, where there is
collision of tectonic plates. This process
transfers heat and forms magma.
Flux melting- occurs when solid rock melts
into magma through the addition of water
or other volatiles, such as carbon dioxide,
causing rocks to melt at lower
temperatures. It usually happens around
subduction zones.
Metamorphism – the change in
mineral composition and texture of a
rock that is subjected to high
temperature and pressure within the
Earth.
Metamorphism involves two
processes:
1. Recrystallization
2. Neometamorphism
The process by which crystals are
packed by which crystals are packed
together creating a new crystal
structure.
A process that results in the formation
of new minerals. This process is
sometimes called neocrystallization.