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Surface Forces That Shape Earth Flashcards

1
Q

What forces worn the earth away

A

Wind, rain, frost and waves

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2
Q

give examples of natural processes that shape all natural landforms

A
  • Rivers carve out valleys and in some places, they leave fertile mud over wide areas.
  • The action of waves produces cliffs and beaches along the coast.
  • Water and ice break up rocks in high areas, creating pointed mountain peaks.
  • In very cold climates, thick layers of ice move over the land, carving deep valleys with steep sides.
  • Winds blow sand across deserts, producing sand dunes and sand-carved rocks.
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3
Q

how do people contribute to the shape of the land?

A

by building settlements, mining rocks, and farming.

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4
Q

define weathering

A

wearing away of rocks and soil by the action of the weather

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5
Q

define agents

A

natural forces that cause an effect or result

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6
Q

what does weathering affect

A

the shape and composition of rocks and soil

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7
Q

what are the most important agents of weathering

A

temperature and water

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8
Q

what are the three main types of weathering

A
  1. Physical weathering
  2. Chemical weathering
  3. Biological weathering
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9
Q

what are the causes of physical weathering

A

physical forces such as frost and temperature changes

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10
Q

what are the causes of chemical weathering

A

chemical changes that weaken rocks

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11
Q

what are the causes of biological weathering

A

the action of plants and animals

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12
Q

Compared to a human lifetime, weathering is a slow process. weathering can cause many changes to a landscape

A
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13
Q

define exfoliation

A

the removal of the outer layers of a rock after repeated contraction and expansion

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14
Q

what are two examples of physical weathering

A

freeze thaw action and exfoliation

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15
Q

when does freeze-thaw happen

A

when water collects in cracks in rocks.
(some cracks may be very small and only contain a few drops of water. other cracks may be much bigger)

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16
Q

what happens when water freezes

A

it expands. as the water turns into ice it increases its volume and puts pressure on the sides of the cracks

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17
Q

go through diagram on free-thaw action on pg 57

A
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18
Q

what do big temperature changes during the day and night cause

A

the outer layers of rocks to expand in the heat of the day and contract with the cooler night.
the constant expanding and contracting weakens the outer layers of rocks; large pieces can ‘peel’ off the outer surface.

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19
Q

Define dissolved

A

Has become part of a liquid solution

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20
Q

Define insoluble

A

Does not dissolve in water

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21
Q

Define soluble

A

Dissolves in water

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22
Q

How can underground caves form

A

When carbonic acid attacks and dissolves away rocks under the ground.

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23
Q

What does chemical weathering change

A

The chemical composition of rocks. It weakens rocks, causing them to break up

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24
Q

Give three examples of chemical weathering

A

Carbonation
Hydrolysis
Oxidation

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25
Read through carbonation on pg 58
26
Where does oxidation occur
To rocks and objects that contain iron
27
How can we see oxidation
As rust, on metals that have been left in the rain
28
What colour are oxidation stains
Red
29
How does iron oxide form
Water contains oxygen that mixes with the iron content of rocks to form iron oxide
30
What does oxidation change
The chemical structure of the rock, making it weaker and more easy broken down
31
What is hydrolysis
A sequence of chemical reactions that involve water, and minerals called silicates
32
Where are silicates present
In many different kinds of rock including sandstone and granite
33
What do certain silicate minerals do
Absorb water and change into clay
34
Read through pg 59
35
Define biological
To do with living things
36
Define lichens
Small plant organisms made up of algae and fingi which live together
37
What does biological weathering involve
Weathering caused by plants, animals and people
38
How can grasses and other plants cause weathering
Read through pg 60
39
Read through pg 61
40
What is weathering
The breaking down of rocks and soil by the action of the weather. There is very little movement other than loose material falling under the force of gravity. We have seen that weathering attacks rocks and soil in a number of ways
41
What is erosion
Always involves movement whereas weathering happens in one place.
42
What are the three agents of erosion
Water, wind and ice
43
Define yardangs
Long ridges carved by wind erosion
44
Where is wind erosion most obvious
Places where there is little vegetation cover, such as the desert and semi-deserts
45
what is soil erosion caused by
a combination of human activity and natural processes
46
define overstocking
too many animals than the land can support
47
define over-grazing
keeping more animals than the land can support
48
what does over-grazing result in
large areas of soil being exposed to erosion. the removal of plants means that there are fewer roots to hold the soil together. the soil is more easily washed away or blown away
49
define monoculture
growing one kind of crop in a field, year after year
50
define crop rotation
growing different crops in a sequence that benefits the soil
51
what machines do farmers use
ploughs, seed planters, crop sprayers, harvesters and weeding machines
52
what happens when farmers plough the land
they break up and loosen the soil and create long channels called furrows. in dry climates plowing causes the soil to lose its water content and it is more easily blown away. in wetter climates, the plowed furrows can act as water channels, especially if the fields are on a slope. Water can wash the soil down the furrows and deposit it at the base of the slope.
53
read though monoculture on pg 78
54
how does construction contribute to soil erosion
road building and the construction of buildings require large areas of vegetation to be cleared. this exposes the soil to erosion. solid may also be removed, or covered with concrete and other building materials
55
how does mining contribute to soil erosion
surface mining, such as open-cast cal and iron ore mines exposes the rocks for mining by removing all the vegetation and soil from above the rocks. the soil may be pushed into large mounds. dust and chemicals from the mine may pollute the soil
56
define soil erosion
a process of soil being removed from the land
57
define agriculture
growing crops on the land, or raising animals
58
define deforestation
removing trees from the land
59
when does soil erosion become a problem
when more soil is eroded than is repleaced by natural soil-formig processes
60
what is the main contributor to soil erosion
agriculture
61
what also contributes to soil erosion
industry, deforestation and construction also contribute to soil erosion
62
how does agriculture contribute to soil erosion
removing natural vegetation and ploughing the land weakens the soil making it more easily washed or blow away. animals also contribute to soil erosion by breaking up the soil with their feet. if too many animals are kept in one place they can eat all the plants and expose bare soil to erosion.
63
what is the most common kind of deposition feature in the desert
sand dunes
64
read through pg 75
65
what are the three kinds of sand dunes
barchans, sief dunes, transverse dunes
66
define glacier
a mass of ice that moves slowly downhill
67
define abrasion
wearing away by friction-- grinding and rubbing
68
define bar
a ridge of sand which joins two headlands
69
define soil erosion
a process of soil being removed from the land
70
define agriculture
growing crops on the land, or raising animals
71
define deforestation
removing trees from the land
72
when does soil erosion become a problem
when more soil is eroded than is replaced by natural soil-forming processes
73
what is the main contributor to soil erosion
agriculture
74
how can human activities affect soil erosion
human activities can remove thousands of tons of soil from the land in a few years. human activities disturb the soil and then natural processes of erosion, mainly wind and water, remove the soil
75
name other contributors to soil erosion
industry, deforestation and construction
76
read through how each industry contributes to soil erosion on pg 76-77
77
define monoculture
growing one kind of crop in a field, year after year
78
define crop rotation
growing different crops in a sequence that benefits the soil
79
read through pg 78-79
80
define overstocking
too many animals on a single piece of land
81
define over-grazing
keeping more animals than the land can support

Geography (4 decks)

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