Chapter 5 Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movements Flashcards
The process that occurs when physical forces break rock
into smaller pieces without changing the rock’s chemical
composition is called
mechanical weathering.
Which of the following weathering processes involves the
constant freezing and thawing of water?
frost wedging
The inscriptions on marble gravestones become harder and
harder to read over time. This is caused by
chemical weathering.
When a rock is exposed to chemical weathering, it
changes into one or more new compounds.
Which of the following is NOT a factor that affects the rate of weathering in rocks? a. evolution b. rock characteristics c. climate d. amount of exposed area
evolution
Chemical weathering is highest in areas that are
very warm and wet.
Rock features such as the sculpted pinnacles seen in Bryce
Canyon National Park are the result of
differential weathering.
Which of the following is NOT a major component of soil?
a. mineral matter
b. humus
c. air
d. earthworms
earthworms
In general, the largest component of bog soils is
a. water.
b. organic matter.
c. air.
d. living organisms.
organic matter.
Soil that forms on unconsolidated deposits is called
a. transported soil.
b. residual soil.
c. humus.
d. bedrock.
transported soil.
Which of the following statements about soil formation
is true?
a. The longer a soil has been forming, the thinner it
becomes.
b. Precipitation affects the rate at which nutrients are
removed from soil.
c. Hot, wet climates produce a thin layer of chemically
weathered soil.
d. Cold, dry climates produce a thick layer of mechanically
weathered soil.
Precipitation affects the rate at which nutrients are
removed from soil.
The main source of organic matter in soil is
plants.
In which of the following areas will soil formation be greatest? a. a steep slope in a warm, wet climate b. a flat area in a cold, wet climate c. a flat area in a warm, wet climate d. a north-facing area on a steep slope
a flat area in a warm, wet climate
What kind of soil is found in the C horizon of a soil profile?
partially weathered parent material
Pedalfer soils would most likely be found
a. on an island close to the equator.
b. in a tropical rainforest.
c. in the dry areas of the western United States.
d. in the eastern half of the United States.
in the eastern half of the United States.
Laterite soils contain high amounts of
iron oxide.
Since humans have been present, the amount of sediments carried by rivers has a. increased by a factor of about 2.7. b. increased slightly. c. stayed about the same. d. decreased by about half.
increased by a factor of about 2.7.
Which of the following is NOT true about mass movement?
a. Some mass movement is too slow to be seen.
b. Mass movement always leads to landslides.
c. Gravity is the driving force behind all mass movements.
d. Mass movement is always downslope.
Mass movement always leads to landslides.
Oversteepened slopes often lead to mass movements
because
a. the angle of their slope is between 50 and 60 degrees.
b. plants cannot grow on them.
c. the angle of their slope is less than 50 degrees.
d. the angle of their slope is greater than 40 degrees.
the angle of their slope is greater than 40 degrees.
A mass movement that involves the sudden movement of a
block of material is called a
slide.
The process called _______ involves physical forces
that break rock into smaller pieces.
mechanical weathering
One cause of chemical weathering is the ________
that dissolves in water and then reacts with many common
minerals, forming oxides.
carbonic acid
________ weathering happens when different parts of
a rock mass weather at different rates.
Differential
The air component in soil provides plants with the
needed for photosynthesis.
carbon dioxide
A(n) ________ soil is made of equal parts of clay, silt,
and sand.
loamy
During the process of soil formation, ________
decompose dead plant and animals, increasing the amount of
organic matter.
microorganisms
On a steep slope, erosion is accelerated because there is not
enough moisture to sustain sufficient ________.
plant growth
________ is a dense impenetrable layer found in the
B horizon of a soil profile.
Hardpan
In a soil profile, the ________ layers contain parent
material that is hardly weathered at all.
deepest
Large amounts of calcium carbonate are typical of
________ soil.
pedocal
Human activities such as farming, ________, and
construction remove vegetation from the land and increase the
rate of erosion.
logging
A landform called a stream valley is the most common result of
________.
mass movement
One trigger of mass movements is the pores in sediments filling
with ________.
water
One of the most dramatic triggers of sudden mass movements is a(n) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
earthquake
________, the slowest type of mass movement,
involves the lifting and contracting of soil particles over time.
Creep
