Weathering, Erosion, and Soil Flashcards
Weathering
The process by which rock materials are broken down
Mechanical Weathering
When physical processes naturally break rocks into smaller pieces
Chemical Weathering
Rocks break down due to chemical reactions which change the materials in rock into new materials
Soil
Mixture of weathered rock, rock fragments, decayed organic matter, water, and air
Organic Matter
The remains of something that was once alive
Decomposition
The breaking down of dead organisms and organic waste
Pores
Small holes and spaces in soil
Inorganic Matter
The parts of soil that have never been alive
Bedrock
The layer of rock beneath the soil
Topography
The shape and steepness of the landscape
Biota
All the organisms that live in a region
Horizons
Layers of soil formed from the movement of the products of weathering
Erosion
Removal of weathered material from one location to another
Deposition
The laying down or setting of eroded material
Mass Wasting
Downhill movement of a large mass of rocks or soil because of the pull of gravity
Glacier
Large mass of ice on land and moves slowly across Earth’s surface
Plucking
As a glacier flows over the land, it picks up rocks and large boulders dragging them across the land, causing gouges and scratches in bedrock
What are the 4 types of mechanical weathering?
Ice wedging, abrasion, plants, and animals
What are the 2 main types of chemical weathering?
Weak acids and oxidation
What is one cause of acid rain?
pollution
What is the result of ground water acids?
It forms caves or sinkholes
What reacts with minerals in rocks to form an oxide?
Oxygen
Where do mechanical changes occur faster?
Places that have frequent temperature changes
Where do chemical changes occur faster?
Warm, wet places
Why is organic material important to soil?
Dark soil absorbs sunlight, it holds water, it provides plant nutrients, and it holds minerals together so that soil pores can form
What is the largest cause of erosion?
Moving water
What are the 5 factors of soil formation?
Parent material, climate, topography, biota, and time
What is one feature caused by river erosion?
Waterfalls, flood plains, meanders, oxbow lakes, or deltas
What is one feature caused by wave erosion?
Beaches
What is one feature caused by wind erosion?
loess, sand dunes, sand, or silt and clay
Where is a stalactite?
On the cave ceiling
Where is a stalagmite?
On the cave ground
What are four types of mass wasting?
Landslides, mudslides, slump, and creep
What are the two main types of glaciers?
Continental and valley
What is one feature formed by a glacier?
Till, moraine, or kettle
