Exam 1 Flashcards
Define: soil
A dynamic natural body composed of minerals, organic materials, and living forms
Define rock
Mixtures of minerals
Define igneous rock
Rocks cooled from molten materials
Define sedimentary rock
Formed from the deposition of sediments followed by high pressure and a cementing agent
Define metamorphic rock
Formed from either igneous or sedimentary rocks through the action of intensive heat and pressure
Define physical weathering
Destructive process caused by atmospheric agents that breakdown rocks without change to e physical identity
Define chemical weathering
Weathering caused by atmospheric agents that change the chemical composition of rocks and minerals
O horizon
Organic horizon that forms above the mineral soil
A horizon
Mineral soil horizon, high biological activity . Zone of rapid mineral weathering and leaching
E horizon
Horizon in which large amounts of clay and iron have been leached or removed by water
Zone of eluviation
B horizon
Horizon that receives material leached from E and A horizons
Zone of illuviation
Define elluviation
Removal, exit, maximum leaching
Define illuviation
Deposition of materials eluviated from upper horizons
C horizon
Horizon of unconsolidated material that may or may not be parent material of the soil
R horizon
Consolidated hard rock
What are the five soil forming factors
Parent material, climate, relief, biota, time
Define colluvial
Transported by gravity
Define alluvial
Transported by stream
Define marine
Transported by ocean
Define lacustrine
Transported by lake
Define glacial
Transported with glacier
Define eolian
Transported by wind
What are the four soil forming processes
Additions, losses, transformations, and translocation
Entisols
Simple soils, no diagnostic horizon
Inceptisols
Soils with minimum development, little or no subsoil clay accumulation
Mollisol
Thick, soft, dark mineral soil of grasslands