Erosion and Transportation Flashcards
What does weathering mean?
It is the way rocks are broken down
What does erosion mean?
It is the movement and breakdown of materials.
What does transportation mean?
It is the way materials move along a river.
What does deposition mean?
It is the way a material is ‘dropped’ by a river.
How do materials enter a river?
By slumping and creeping.
State the three types of weathering.
Physical, chemical, and biological.
Describe physical weathering.
Physical weathering breaks the rock down by changing temperatures and rain freezing and thawing into the cracks of the rock.
Describe chemical weathering.
Chemical weathering causes the rock to decay and disintegrate by acidic rain seeping into the rocks.
Describe biological weathering.
Biological weathering is where roots of plants grow into the cracks, gradually splitting the rock.
State the four types of erosion.
Hydraulic action, abrasion, corrosion, and attrition.
Describe hydraulic action.
Hydraulic action breaks the rock from the sides.
Describe abrasion.
Abrasion breaks the rocks on the bottom.
Describe corrosion.
Corrosion dissolves the rock.
Describe attrition.
Attrition is where material bumps together and breaks down.
State the four types of transportation.
Traction, saltation, suspension, and solution.
Describe traction.
Traction is where large rocks roll along the riverbed.
Describe saltation.
Saltation is where small rocks bounce along the riverbed.
Describe suspension.
Suspension is where small particles are suspended in the flow of the water.
Describe solution.
Solution is where tiny particles are dissolved in the water.
State the two ways materials enter a river.
Slumping and creeping.
Describe slumping.
Slumping is where banks collapse into a river due to weight and gravity (rain).
Describe creeping.
Creeping is where soil gradually ripples down a hill due to gravity.
