Pg Test 2 Chapter 5

Front 1

Weathering

Back 1

The physical breakdown (disintegration) and chemical alteration (decomposition) of rocks at or near the Earth's surface

Front 2

Mass Wasting

Back 2

The transfer of a rock and soil downslope under the influence of Gravity

Front 3

Erosion

Back 3

The physical removal of material by movile agents such as water, wind, or ice

Front 4

Mechanical Weathering

Back 4

The physical breakdown of rock, resulting in smaller fragments

Front 5

Chemical Weathering

Back 5

The process by which the internal structure of a mineral is altered by the removal and/or addition of elements

Front 6

Frost Wedging

Back 6

The mechanical breakup of rock caused by the expansion of freezing water in cracks and crevices. The result of alternating freezing and thawing of water trapped in minerals. Most prominant in mountanainous areas of mid latidtudes where daily freezing and thawing occurs.

Front 7

Frost Wedging Effect

Back 7

Causes rocks to break down into smaller and smaller peices due to the expansion of water as it freezes.

Front 8

Talus Slopes

Back 8

As rocks are broken down into smaller pieces from frost wedging they tumble down into large piles at the base of steeply sloped cliffs.

Front 9

Sheeting

Back 9

A mechanical weathering process characterized by the splitting off of slab-like sheets of rock.

Front 10

Physical processes important in breaking down rocks into smaller fragments

Back 10

Frost wedging, expansion resulting from unloading, and biological activity.

Front 11

Exfoliation Domes

Back 11

Large, dome shaped structure, usually composed of granite, formed by sheeting

Front 12

Spheroidal Weathering

Back 12

the result of the corners/edges of angular blocks becoming more roundided diue to their eincreased surface area available for chemical attack

Front 13

Weathering Rate Factors

Back 13

1. Amount of surface area
2. Presence/absence of joints
3. Mineral make-up (marble is composed of calcium carbonate dissolves in a weak aciddic solution; silicate minerals weather in the same sequence as their order of crystallization.
4. Climate; particularly temperature and moisture are crucial to weathering rates

Front 14

Differential Weathering

Back 14

Masses of rock do not weather uniformly, varying rates of weathering resulting from some rocks in an area being more resistant to weathering than others.

Front 15

Spherical Weathering

Back 15

The result of minerals weathering to clay and, with the addition of water the toe structure, the increased bulk exerts an outward force that causes concentric layer to break and fall off.

Front 16

Soil

Back 16

A combination of mineral and organic matter, water, and air; that portion of the regolith that supports plant growth.

Front 17

Regolith

Back 17

The layer of rock and mineral fragments that nearly everywhere covers the Earth's surface.

Front 18

Parent Material

Back 18

The material upon which a soil develops

Front 19

Parent Material Influence

Back 19

The nature of this influences soil in two ways, the type affects the rate of weathering and thus the length of time plays and importan role in the nature of the soild. In general the longer the soil has been former the thicker it is and the less like the nature of the ____it is.

Front 20

Horizons

Back 20

O, A, E, B, and C

Front 21

Which horizons make up solum

Back 21

O, A, E, B

Front 22

What equals top soil

Back 22

A + O

Front 23

E Horizon

Back 23

This horizon has a lot of water washing through this zone taking out the finer soil components "eluviation"

Front 24

Humus

Back 24

Organic matter, remains of animal/plant life

Front 25

Eluviation

Back 25

The washing out of fine soil components from the a horizon by downward percolating water in the E horizon

Front 26

Leaching

Back 26

The depleation soluble materials from the upper soil by downward percolating water

Front 27

Solum

Back 27

True soil

Front 28

Pedalfer

Back 28

Soil rich in alumina and iron and deficient in carbonates, found in and characterisctic of humid regions

Front 29

Pedocal

Back 29

Soil that includes a definite hardened layer of accumulated carbonates

Front 30

Laterite

Back 30

contain little or no humus, tropical "A red, highly leached soil typoe found in the tropics and rich in oxides of iron and alluminum"

Front 31

Sheet Erosion

Back 31

Soil moved in thin sheets of water as part of soil erosion is termed _________

Front 32

Rills

Back 32

After flowing as sheets for a short distance, threads of currents develop tiny channels called rills

Front 33

Gullies

Back 33

Larger rills.