Chapter 7- Weathering And Erosion Flashcards
What are the 2 types of weathering?
- mechanical
- chemical
Weathering:
Process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces
Mechanical weathering
(Physical) breaks without changing chemical composition
What does mechanical weathering?
Growing plants Expanding ice Growing crystals Lightning Heating and cooling
Ice wedging
Water goes into cracks, freezes, expands and then causes it to break
Chemical weathering
(Decomposition) water, air, and other things react with minerals and dissolve rocks away
Lichen
Plant that gives off acid that breaks down rocks
Oxidation
(Rust) when rocks break down being exposed to oxygen
Cold climate
Ice wedging is a rapid weathering agent where warm and cold alternate
Warm climate
Chemical weathering is dominate in rain forests
Desert/polar
Little weathering because no temp changes
Clay
End product of all types of weathering
Soil
Mixture of weathered rock, organic matter, mineral fragments, water, air
100s of years to form
Dirt has little or no nutrients
Humus
Decaying matter that makes soil black
Nutrient
Soil profile
Different layers of soil that make a vertical section
