Weathering changes the surface of mountains.
Meteors are chunks of rock burning up as they enter our planet's atmosphere. Many people call them "shooting stars." If the meteor is large enough that it is able to survive the trip into our atmosphere, the smaller piece that remains may land on the surface of our planet. This piece is called a "meteorite." If a meteorite hits a mountain, it can affect the mountain by causing damage to the mountain's rocky surface.
Weathering
Weathering is the process of rocks being changed due to exposure to nature. There are several types of weathering. Weathering is similar to erosion, but these two terms are not interchangeable. Erosion describes the process whereby rocks and landscapes are changed by the movement of air or water. Eroded rocks may even be moved from their original location. In contrast, as a rock is weathered, it does not necessarily move from its original location. It is simply changed and can be whittled down into a smaller rock over time by various natural forces.
Weathering Types
Physical weathering is when rocks are broken by hitting, scratching, cracking or other physical forces. Frost action occurs when water freezes in small cracks in rocks. Since water expands when frozen, this puts stress on the rock and causes it to crack and erode. Plant action occurs when the roots of plants grow into cracks in rocks and splits the rocks as they expand during plant growth. Another type of weathering is exfoliation. This is when the top layer of a rock is peeled off. This can occur when pressure within the rock is released or as rocks heat and cool as the weather changes. Abrasion occurs when rocks rub against other rocks. Chemical weathering is when the rock is dissolved by contact with various chemicals. These chemicals include oxygen, water and acid formed by carbon dioxide dissolved in rain water.
Meteorite Effects on Mountains
When a meteorite impacts the earth, the damage can be severe or minimal. Severe meteorite impacts are very rare. An example of this kind of impact is the "K-T Event," the meteor impact that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. If one of these were to occur again, the damage could be substantial and way beyond normal weathering that naturally occurs on Earth. Smaller meteorites are slowed enough by our atmosphere that they land with about as much force as a similar object being dropped from a tall building. This can cause very minor damage including small cracks or chunks of rocks being dislodged.
Meteorites and Weathering
Meteorites exert force during impact. If one hit a mountain, this force could change the surface of the mountain without moving the mountain, implying that a type of weathering has occurred that would be distinct from changes involving frost, plant action, chemicals, or internal pressure. Abrasion could be considered a categorization for this type of weathering since the meteorite rubs against the surface of the mountain after impact.
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