Karst Flashcards
What do exogenic (external) processes do to the landscape?
These processes wear down the landforms created by endogenic processes
What is denudation?
Wearing down the land
What are some processes that wear down the land?
- Weathering
- Erosion
- Transportation
- Mass movement
- Deposition
What are some agents that wear down the land?
- Wind and Air
- Water
- Waves
- Ice
- Gravity
What is weathering?
the physical, biological, and chemical processes that break rock down into particles (soils, sediments, and other deposits)
What is erosion?
When particles are transported (by wind, water, ice, gravity), the process becomes erosion. Erosion can be a major factor in both creating and destroying landforms
What is mass movement?
When particles are moved downslope by gravity. When particles end up in place, they are considered deposits
Where does weathering occur?
At surface and subsurface
What does the weathering of bedrock and the addition of organic matter produce?
Soil
What are some factors that control soil formation?
- Parent material (underlying rocks)
- Climate
- Topography
- Biological factors
- Time
How does soil form through time?
Slide 10
What are sediments? How do they compare to soil?
Sediments are eroded materials that are transported to a place, while soils form in placeq
What is differential weathering? Why does this happen?
When weathering is not even across all places. This is due to different climate and rock types
What are some factors that influence weathering?
- Rock composition & structure
- Climate
- Soil-water and Groundwater
- Vegetation
- Time
What are the 3 main weathering processes?
- Biological
- Physical
- Chemical
What is biological weathering?
Organisms assist in physical and chemical weathering in breaking down rock
What is physical weathering?
Rocks are broken up by mechanical processes without chemical alteration
What are the three types of physical weathering?
A. Frost-Wedging
B. Crystallization
C. Exfoliation
What is frost weathering?
- water filled crack
- freezes to ice
- breaks rock
Where does frost weathering occur?
Occurs where its cold enough to get hard freezes and ice
D and E climates and high elevation
What is crystallization?
water evaporates, leaving mineral salts that grow and exert force (physical NOT chemical weathering)