Key Questions

Question 1

5.1 Key ?: What is MECHANICAL weathering

Answer 1

• occurs when physical forces break rock into smaller pieces without changing the rock’s mineral composition. (Pg. 126)
  
  • frost wedging, unloading, and biological activity are especially important causes of mechanical weather in nature. (Pg. 127)

Question 2

5.1 Key ?: What is CHEMICAL weathering?

Answer 2

transformation of rock into one or more new compounds (Pg, 129)

Question 3

5.1 Key ?: What factors affect the rate of weathering?

Answer 3

rock characteristics (cracks and mineral composition) and climate affect the rate of weathering (Pg. 131)

Question 4

5.2 Key ?: What are the major components of soil?

Answer 4

> Major components of soil:
* Mineral matter (broken down rock)
* Organic matter (hummus, decayed remains of organisms)
* Water
* Air
Composition, texture, and structure are the three important characteristics of soil. Soil is the part of the regolith that supports the growth of plants. (Pg. 133)

Question 5

5.2 Key ?: What are the most important factors in soil formation?

Answer 5

Parent material, time, climate, organisms, and slope are the most important factors in soil formation. (Pg. 135)

Question 6

5.2 Key ?: How does soil vary with depth?

Answer 6

Composition, texture, structure, and color are ways soil are different (vary) at different depths. (Pg. 138)

Question 7

5.2 Key ?: What are the three common types of soil?

Answer 7

Pedalfer, pedocal, and laterite are three common types of soil. (Pg. 139)

Question 8

5.2 Key ?: How do human activities affect the rate of soil erosion?

Answer 8

Farming, logging, and construction are human activities that affect (greatly accelerate in this case) soil erosion. (Pg. 141)

Question 9

5.3 Key ?: What is mass movement?

Answer 9

Transfer of rock and soil downslope due to gravity is called mass movement. (Pg. 143)

Question 10

5.3 Key ?: What factors trigger mass movements?

Answer 10

Saturation of surface materials with water, oversteepening of slopes, removal of vegetation, and earthquakes are common triggers of mass movements of soil. (Pg. 144)

Question 11

5.4 Key ?: How do geologists classify mass movements?

Answer 11

Kind of material that moves, how it moves, and the speed of the movement. (Pg. 145