Erosion Flashcards
erosion
the geological process in which earthen materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind or water.
weathering
the process of wearing or being worn by long exposure to the atmosphere.
water cycle
a biogeochemical cycle that describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth
evaporation
the process of turning from liquid into vapor.
condensation
water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it.
precipitation
precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds.
surface runoff
precipitation runoff over the landscape.
tributary
a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake.
watershed
contains all the land and water features that drain excess surface water to a specific location on the landscape.
continental divide
a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea,
deposition
the action of deposing someone, especially a monarch.
delta
a landform shaped like a triangle,
floodplain
an area of land adjacent to a river
water table
the upper surface of the zone of saturation.
sewage treatment plants
a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge to the surrounding environment or an intended reuse application, thereby preventing water pollution from raw sewage discharges.
septic tank
domestic wastewater flows for basic sewage treatment.
sea stacks
a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast
sea arches
a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath.
sea caves
primarily from erosion caused by waves.
wave-cut terraces
narrow flat area often found at the base of a sea cliff or along the shoreline of a lake,
headlands
a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water
beach
a strip of land covered with sand, pebbles, or small stones at the edge of a body of water, especially by the ocean between high- and low-water marks.
glacier
a large, perennial accumulation of crystalline ice, snow, rock, sediment, and often liquid water that originates on land and moves down slope under the influence of its own weight and gravity.
glacial drift
A general term applied to all rock material (clay, silt, sand, gravel, boulders) transported by a glacier and deposited directly by or from the ice, or by running water emanating from a glacier. This category is also used for Glacial sediment.
till
unsorted and unstratified drift, generally overconsolidated, deposited directly by and underneath a glacier without subsequent reworking by water from the glacier.
stratified drift
predominantly sorted sediment laid down by or in meltwater from glaciers and includes sand, gravel, silt, and clay arranged in layers
