This is an EarthCache and has special requirements for logging it. You cannot log a Found It without responding to the logging requirements set out below.
Only one find claim per Message. Each Geocacher claiming a find must submit an individual response. One team can not lodge a response on behalf of a group of people.
Decomposing Rocks - the actions of the Weathering Process.
Weathering
Weathering is the breakdown of rocks at the Earth’s surface, by the action of rainwater, extremes of temperature, and biological activity. It does not involve the removal of rock material.
There are three types of weathering, physical, chemical and biological.
Physical weathering
Physical weathering is caused by physical changes such as changes in temperature, freezing and thawing, and the effects of wind, rain and waves.
Temperature changes
When a rock gets hot it expands a little, and when a rock gets cold it contracts a little. If a rock is heated and cooled many times, cracks form and pieces of rock fall away. This type of physical weathering happens a lot in deserts, because it is very hot during the day but very cold at night.
Wind, rain and waves
Wind, rain and waves can all cause weathering. The wind can blow tiny grains of sand against a rock. These wear the rock away and weather it. Rain and waves can also wear away rock over long periods of time.
Freeze-thaw
Water expands slightly when it freezes into ice. This is why water pipes sometimes burst in the winter. You might have seen a demonstration of this sort of thing at school - a jar filled to the brim with water eventually shatters after it is put into a freezer.
The formation of ice can also break rocks. If water gets into a crack in a rock and then freezes, it expands and pushes the crack further apart. When the ice melts later, water can get further into the crack. When the rock freezes again, it expands and makes the crack even bigger.
This process of freezing and thawing can continue until the crack becomes so big that a piece of rock falls off.
Biological weathering
Plants can cause biological weathering
Animals and plants can wear away rocks. This is called biological weathering. For example, burrowing animals such as rabbits can burrow into a crack in a rock, making it bigger and splitting the rock.
You may have seen weeds growing through cracks in the pavement. If you have gone for a walk in the countryside, you may even have seen bushes or trees growing from cracks in rocks or disused buildings. This is because plant roots can grow in cracks. As they grow bigger, the roots push open the cracks and make them wider and deeper. Eventually pieces of rock may fall away.
People can even cause biological weathering just by walking. Over time, paths in the countryside become damaged because of all the boots and shoes wearing them away.
Chemical weathering
The weathering of rocks by chemicals is called chemical weathering. Rainwater is naturally slightly acidic because carbon dioxide from the air dissolves in it. Minerals in rocks may react with the rainwater, causing the rock to be weathered.
Some types of rock are easily weathered by chemicals. For example, limestone and chalk are made of a mineral called calcium carbonate. When acidic rainwater falls on limestone or chalk, a chemical reaction happens. New soluble substances are formed in the reaction. These are washed away and the rock is weathered.
Chemical weathering can hollow out caves form and make cliffs fall away.
Some types of rock are not easily weathered by chemicals. For example, granite and gabbro are hard rocks that are weathered only slowly. Still some of their minerals do react with the acids in rainwater to form new, weaker substances that crumble and fall away.
(Notes taken from the BBC's series called BiteSize Science)
To log this earth cache, answer the following questions based upon your understanding of the above text, and your observations at the cache site.
Examine the exposed rock face to the left of your entry point to this old quarry. Here you will see examples of weathering.
Of the three type of weathering (physical, chemical and biological) choose the one that you think would be the predominant type of weathering that has taken place here. 1. Name it, and say WHY you have chosen that type from the evidence you see here.
Walk over to the base of the exposed quarry wall. You will see examples of the results of weathering: the small particles of rocks that have gathered here. 2. Approximately how large (in millimeters) are the rock particles? (you may like to gather some in your hands for a closer look).
Look at the rock face above at this point. 3. Describe in your own words the appearance of the joints/fissures in the rock face. (E.g. are they straight or curved, narrow or wide, horizontal or vertical, geometrical or random?).
4. Take of photo of yourself OR your GPS to show a view of GZ. Include it in your message, but please do not post it in your log, it might give too much away.
When you have your response to the three questions above, please, if possible, MESSAGE us, using the link at the top of the page underneath the name of the Cache. We prefer the MESSAGE method, as apparently, we don't respond to emails very well, but messages we do. We will contact you by MESSAGE once your MESSAGE has been received. But you can log your find in the meantime, and just say that you have MESSAGED your answers to the COs.
Happy Earthcaching!