Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
120 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is Denudation? |
Overall effect of disintegration, wearing away, and removal of rock material |
|
|
What is weathering? |
The process by which a solid rock is dissolved and broken apart into smaller fragments |
|
|
What is erosion? |
The transport of rock fragments by moving water, ice or air |
|
|
What are three properties of Denudation? |
1.Weathering 2.mass wasting 3.erosion |
|
|
What is mass wasting? |
Spontaneous downslope of movement of earths material under influence of gravity |
|
|
Which property of Denudation involved geomorphological agents? |
Erosion |
|
|
What is baselevel? |
Entropy surface beyond which energy is lacking for further erosion |
|
|
What does weathering do you to bed rock? |
Weathering destroys bed rock and fragments it into smaller components |
|
|
What allows weathering to transfer deeper in bed rock? |
Openings such as joints |
|
|
What are joints? |
A crack or weak plane in rock |
|
|
What are master joints? |
Large joints that extend through large distances and thicknesses |
|
|
What are the three most important weathering agents? |
1.Water ** 2.oxygen 3.carbon dioxide |
|
|
What are types of weathering agent? |
1.Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide 2.temperature changes 3.water penetration in bed rock openings 4.biotic agents |
|
|
Weathering will occur in combination through what three main processes? |
1.Physical ( mechanical) 2.chemical 3.biotic |
|
|
What is physical weathering? |
The breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces, or clasts, without altering the chemical make up of the rock |
|
|
What is two types of debris related to physical weathering? |
1.lithology (rock type) 2.joint structure |
|
|
Physical weathering____ surface area |
Increases |
|
|
What is exfoliation? |
A physical weathering process in which joints form parallel to our rock surface, creating sheet likes slabs of rock |
|
|
The processes of physical weathering have their greatest effect at ____elevations and ____latitudes |
Hi; high |
|
|
Explain pressure release jointing. |
Occurs when overlying rocks and sediments, or overburden, or remove from rocks that form at great depths. After the overburden is removed, the enormous pressure associated with deep Burial lessens, and The Rock expand slightly creating joints. |
|
|
What is frost weathering? |
A physical weathering process in which water trapped in an opening in a rock freezes and expands, causing the opening to grow |
|
|
Water expand by what percent when freezing? |
9% |
|
|
Predominate weathering occurs in what latitude? |
Mid latitude |
|
|
What is salt wedging? |
A physical weathering process in which salt crystals grow in poor spaces on a rock surface and dislodge individual mineral grains within the rock |
|
|
Where is chemical weathering Dominant? |
Chemical weathering is dominant where temperatures are above freezing and there is ample moisture. As a result, rocks in the lowland tropics are most altered by chemical weathering |
|
|
What is a niche? |
A recess in a wall |
|
|
In chemical weathering, minerals are chemically altered by what processes? |
1.Hydrolysis 2.oxidation 3.carbonation/solution |
|
|
How does hydrolysis an oxidation chemically altering minerals? |
-Change the chemical structure of mineral creating softer and bulkier and more susceptible to erosion |
|
|
How does carbonation/solution chemically alter minerals? |
Dissolves minerals, washing away in run off (affects carbonate rocks) |
|
|
What is carbonation? |
When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, forming carbonic acid (H2 CO3) |
|
|
What is hydrolysis? |
When water reacts with an combines with minerals and rocks to form new minerals |
|
|
What is oxidation? |
When oxygen atoms combine with the minerals and rocks and weaken them |
|
|
What is bio chemical weathering? |
Refers to chemical weathering resulting from activities of living organisms. |
|
|
How is stability related to crystallization environment |
Through heat and pressure |
|
|
What is the secondary mineral? |
Rocks composed of particles derive from the erosion or weathering of pre-existing rocks, such as residual, chemical, or organic rocks form from precipitated detrital organically accumulated materials. |
|
|
What is the Bowen’s reaction series? |
The order in which minerals will crystallize when magma is cooling |
|
|
What minerals are most stable at the earth surface? |
K- Spar, Quartz and muscovite(Low temperature, last to crystallize) |
|
|
What type of minerals are the least stable? |
Mafic minerals (high temperatures first minerals to crystallize) |
|
|
What is spalling? |
The falling off of concentric layers of weathering material due to salt hydration |
|
|
What components of water affect weathering? |
1.Availability and mobility of water 2. Water temperature 3. Water chemicals |
|
|
What is karst? |
Landscape produced by carbonation and solution |
|
|
What occurs in hydrolysis? |
Water makes hydroxide ions which replace different ions in a mineral. End up with a softer/week or altered version which is more susceptible to weathering |
|
|
What chemical process is important in the breakdown of mafic minerals? |
Oxidation |
|
|
How does water become acidic? |
In carbonation, carbon dioxide and water combine which makes weak carbonic acid |
|
|
What is differential weathering? |
Unequal weathering across a rock surface |
|
|
What are 4 examples of differential weathering? |
1.Spheroidal weathering 2.monolith 3.arches 4.hoodoos |
|
|
What is speroidal weathering? |
Sharp edges weather more rapidly than flat surfaces. As a result, weathering round the edges of rocks over time |
|
|
What are hoodoos? |
Hoodoos are tall, columnar rock formations, usually cat with a layer of rock that is resistant to erosion. |
|
|
What is a monolith? |
A resistant column of intrusive igneous rock that was one surrounded by sedimentary rock. |
|
|
How is calcium bicarbonate produced? |
It is dissolved by carbonation, limestone combines with water and carbon dioxide and carbonic acid which forms calcium bicarbonate |
|
|
Where is a karst landform found? |
-Landscape produced by solution and carbonation -In landscape is made up of carbonate (limestone and dolomite) |
|
|
What type of bed rock forms the most widespread type of karst topography? |
Limestone bed rock |
|
|
Explain Sinkhole formation. |
1.Ceiling dissolution:the caverns healing begins dissolving were waterfalls week joints in the bed rock 2.ceiling weakening: limestone dissolution migrates up word along with the joints. Large blocks break from the cavern ceiling 3.ceiling collapsed:the ceiling continues to thin until in the longer support the weight of the overlying rocks. It then falls in, forming a collapsing sinkhole |
|
|
What is a sinkhole? |
A depression in earths surface resulting from weathering of carbonate rock underground |
|
|
What is a sinkhole lake? |
Sinkhole that is filled with water |
|
|
What is a collapse sinkhole? |
A sinkhole formed where the ceiling of the cavern has collapsed |
|
|
What is a speleothems ? |
A cavern formation that forms by precipitation of calcium carbonate |
|
|
What is a stalactite? |
A speleotherm that grows from the ceiling of a a cavern downward |
|
|
What is a stalagmite? |
A spelotherm That grows from the floor of the cavern upward |
|
|
Carbonate rocks cover what percent of the land surface? |
13% |
|
|
What is a line stone column? |
A cylindrical speleothems resulting when stalactite joined with a stalagmite |
|
|
Where do you karst towers dominate? |
-tropical karst (southern China, west Malaysia) |
|
|
What influences biotic weathering? |
Plants and animals |
|
|
What is bioturbation? |
Burrowing animals |
|
|
How have humans influence biotic weathering? |
1.Polluting air 2.quarrying and mining 3.farming |
|
|
What has become one of the planets most important geomorphic agents? |
Humans |
|
|
Where does weathering occur? |
Weathering processes operate with decreasing intensity from surface of Earth, to lower steps reach by atmospheric gases and water |
|
|
What zone is weathering active? |
Vadose zone ( Unsaturated) |
|
|
What is the what does zone? |
Above the water table, a mix of air and water and oxidation occurs |
|
|
What is the phreatic zone? |
Below the water table, minimal amount of weathering, reduction reactions due too little oxygen in the area. |
|
|
What are four factors controlling rate of weathering? |
1.Properties of parent rock 2.climate 3.present/absence of soil/vegetation 4.length of exposure |
|
|
Fast weathering occurs in what type of temperature? |
Hot |
|
|
Fast weathering rate occurs in what type of mineral solubility in water? |
High |
|
|
Fast weathering rate occurs at what amount of rainfall? |
High |
|
|
What is mass wasting? |
Spontaneous downhill movement of soil, regolith (whethered material), and bed rock under the influence of gravity |
|
|
What’s the main factor influencing mass wasting? |
Gravity |
|
|
What is the angle of repose? |
Maximum angle of that loose material forming a slope can maintain without slipping |
|
|
Angle of repose is a balance between ____and___ |
Gravity; friction |
|
|
Slope stability is a balance between shear_____ and shear____ |
Strength; stress |
|
|
What is sheer strength? |
Friction and cohesion resistance along the contact between loose material and the bed rock |
|
|
What is shear stress? |
Steepest of existing slope |
|
|
How are types of mass movement classified? |
By their speed and moisture relationship |
|
|
What is soil creep? |
The imperceptible downslope movement of soil and regolith as their volume changes in seasonal expansion contraction cycles |
|
|
What type of mass movement has a fast rate of movement? |
1.Rockfall 2.avalanche |
|
|
What types of mass movement has a slow rate of movement? |
1.Soil creep 2.slumps |
|
|
What are the principal variables that affect soil creep? |
1.Slope angle 2.vegetation cover 3.moisture supply |
|
|
What are the principal variables that affect soil creep? |
1.Slope angle 2.vegetation cover 3.moisture supply |
|
|
What is soilfluction? |
Soil flowage, permafrost |
|
|
Clay particles in soil when _____wet it or warmed and then, as the season changes, when ____dried or cold |
Expand; contract |
|
|
What is soilfluction? |
A type of soil creep in which frees thought cycles cause the soil to flow slowly down slope in overlapping sheets |
|
|
What is slump? |
A type of mass movement in which regulates detaches and slides down slope along a spoon shaped fill your service and comes to rest more or less as a unit |
|
|
What is a failure surface? |
Spoon shaped plane |
|
|
Why are slums called rotational slides? |
Because they follow the concave failure surface over which regolith moves |
|
|
What is the head scarp? |
The top most point of detachment of the slump, and the resulting Cliff |
|
|
What is the toe? |
The base of the slump |
|
|
What is a landslide? |
Rapid movement of rock or debris down a steep slope |
|
|
Where do landslides occur? |
Occur in mountainous terrain were slopes are steep |
|
|
What is a flow? |
Mixed with large amounts of water, and overall, move as quickly than landslides |
|
|
What is a mudflow? |
Fast moving flow is composed mostly of Mud |
|
|
What is a debris flow? |
A fast flowing slurry of mud to mix with large objects such as rock and vegetation |
|
|
What is a rockslide? |
A land slide that consist of rocks and broken rock fragments |
|
|
What is the debris slide? |
Oh and slide that consist of mixture of rocks, soil, and vegetation |
|
|
A turbulent cloud of rock debris or snow that is mixed with air and races quickly down a steep slope |
A turbulent cloud of rock debris or snow that is mixed with air and races quickly down a steep slope |
|
|
What are two different types of avalanches? |
Snow and debris |
|
|
What is Rockfall? |
A type of mass movement in which rocks tumble off a vertical or nearly vertical cliff face |
|
|
What is a talus? |
Pieces of angular broken rock that accumulate at the base of the steep slope or vertical Cliff |
|
|
What is the talus apron? |
Uniform accumulation of rock for material |
|
|
What is a talus cone ? |
Material tends to collect in cone shaped keeps |
|
|
What creates towers in rockfalls? |
Frost wedging |
|
|
Between 2004 and 2010 how many people were killed in deadly mass movements worldwide? |
32,300 people |
|
|
How much money in damage has mass movements cost of the United States Annually? |
2 to 4,billion |
|
|
What are the main causes of deadly mass movements? |
1.Heavy and prolonged rainfall 2. removal of vegetation 3.under cutting of steep slopes 4. earthquakes |
|
|
What is the most recent mass movement disaster with the largest estimated fatalities? |
1999, Vargas, Venezuela, (30,000 fatalities) |
|
|
What type of countries are particularly vulnerable to mass movement disasters? |
Many developing countries |
|
|
What type of countries are particularly vulnerable to mass movement disasters? |
Many developing countries |
|
|
What are factors that increase the possibility of a mass movement disaster? |
1.Heavy rainfall brought by summer monsoon or tropical cyclones 2.farming on steep slopes 3.slum settlements on steep hillside 4.large populations 5.poverty |
|
|
What is the geomorphological agent? |
any exogenic element of nature (water, ice, when) capable of acquiring and transporting Earth materials |
|
|
What is isostatic uplift? |
The rise of land masses that were depressed by huge weight of a sheet during the last glacial period. Through a process known as isostatic depression. |
|
|
What process is important in breaking down mafic minerals? |
Oxidation |
|
|
In oxidation the compound ____electrons |
Loses |
