Weathering and Erosion

Question 1

Mechanical/Physical Weathering

Answer 1

Mechanical/Physical weathering is the process that breaks rocks into smaller pieces

Question 2

Chemical Weathering

Answer 2

“Chemical weathering occurs when water dissolves minerals in a rock, producing new compounds”

Question 3

Differential Weathering

Answer 3

“The difference in the degree of discoloration, disintegration, etc., of rocks of different kinds exposed to the same environment.”

Question 4

Erosion

Answer 4

Erosion is the process by which materials are transported by wind or water

Question 5

Deposition

Answer 5

“The process of dropping sediment by water or wind.”

Question 6

Ice/Frost Wedging

Answer 6

This is a form of physical weathering that occurs when something freezes repeatedly.

Question 7

Alpine/Valley Glacier

Answer 7

“Alpine glaciers begin high up in the mountains in bowl-shaped hollows called cirques.”

Question 8

Continental Glacier

Answer 8

A big mass of ice that is bigger than an Alpine Glacier

Question 9

Abrasion

Answer 9

The process of something wearing away

Question 10

Saltation

Answer 10

“Saltation is a specific type of particle transport by fluids such as wind or water”

Question 11

River Erosion

Answer 11

This is the wearing away of a riverbed

Question 12

Beach Erosion

Answer 12

This is the wearing away of a beach

Question 13

Desert Erosion

Answer 13

The wearing away of desert rocks by wind

Question 14

Exfoliation/ Thermal Expansion

Answer 14

The separation of thin shells of rock

Question 15

Glacial Erosion

Answer 15

The wearing away of glaciers

Question 16

Plant weathering

Answer 16

“Plants can cause physical weathering as their roots grow. Seeds of plants or trees can grow inside rock cracks where the soil has collected.”

Question 17

Animal Physical Weathering

Answer 17

“Animals that burrow underground, such as moles, gophers or even ants, can also cause physical weathering by loosening and breaking apart rocks.”

Question 18

Acid Precipitation

Answer 18

Precipitation that includes any form of acid

Question 19

Carbonation

Answer 19

The chemical reaction of carbon dioxide

Question 20

Oxidation/Rust

Answer 20

“It turns out what we call rust is a chemical process that combines iron (Fe) and oxygen (O) to form iron oxide.”

Question 21

Landslide/Slump

Answer 21

“Slumping is a mass wasting event that happens because loose materials or layers of rock move a short distance down the slope.”

Question 22

Lahar

Answer 22

Mudflow that occurs on the slopes of a volcano

Question 23

Rock Fall

Answer 23

This is when a large amount of rocks fall from a cliff

Question 24

Avalanche

Answer 24

When a large amount of snow and frozen slow falls from a mountain slope

Question 25

Creep

Answer 25

“Downslope movement of particles that occurs on every slope covered with loose, weathered material.”

Question 26

Moraine/Till

Answer 26

This is just simply glacier debris

Question 27

Stratified Drift

Answer 27

“Drift composed of material deposited by a meltwater stream or settled from suspension.”

Question 28

Loess

Answer 28

“A mineral deposit as either a sediment, soil, or rock.”

Question 29

Illuviation

Answer 29

“The introduction of salts or colloids into one soil horizon from another”

Question 30

Eluviation

Answer 30

“Removal of dissolved or suspended material from a layer or layers of the soil by the movement of water when rainfall exceeds evaporation.”