Science Chapter 10

Front 1

weathering

Back 1

the process when rocks break down

Front 2

mechanical weathering and chemical weathering

Back 2

the two main types of weathering

Front 3

mechanical weathering

Back 3

when rocks are broken into pieces by physical means

Front 4

agents of mechanical weathering

Back 4

ice, abrasion, wind, water, gravity, plants and animals

Front 5

ice wedging

Back 5

water seeps into cracks of rock, freezes and expands, which breaks the rock

Front 6

frost action

Back 6

alternate freezing then thawing causes ice wedging in rocks

Front 7

abrasion

Back 7

mechanical weathering that happens when rock surfaces are worn away and ground down by rocks that are pushed around by wind, water or gravity

Front 8

Wind, water, gravity

Back 8

at least two of these three forces combine and cause rocks to collide and break down through abrasion

Front 9

plants

Back 9

cause mechanical weathering when they send roots into the cracks of rocks and expand or grow

Front 10

Animals

Back 10

Animals burrowing in the soil can cause rocks to be exposed to weathering and they can cause chemical weathering

Front 11

Chemical weathering

Back 11

when rocks break down because of chemical reactions

Front 12

air

Back 12

breaks rock down through oxidation

Front 13

oxidation

Back 13

oxygen in the air reacts with elements such as iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) and creates rust (oxide)

Front 14

rust

Back 14

oxide- created through the oxidation process when oxygen in the air reacts with elements such as iron and aluminum

Front 15

pie

Back 15

when claire eats pie

Front 16

acid precipitation

Back 16

rain, sleet or snow that contains high concentrations of acid

Front 17

water

Back 17

dissolves rock over a long period of time

Front 18

acids in ground water

Back 18

can dissolce rock such as lime stone and create caves and other underground geological features

Front 19

acids in living things

Back 19

lichens for example, can secrete weak acids that break down rock

Front 20

differenital weARTHERING

Back 20

A PROCESS BY WHICH SOFTER, LESS weather resistant rocks weather away leaving harder, more weather resistant rocks behind

Front 21

rate of weathering

Back 21

depends on the surface area
depends upon climate, elevation and the make up or composition of the rock

Front 22

large surface area vs. large volume

Back 22

A large rock with a large surface area (LxW) weathers more slowly than a large amount or volume (LxWxH) of small rocks because they have a smaller surface area and are exposed to more weathering.

Front 23

climate

Back 23

average weather conditions for an area over a period of time.
Rocks weather more quickly in warm, humid environments

the temperature and water of a climate also impact weathering - a place that freezes over and thaws a lot has more ice wedging.

Front 24

weathering and elevation

Back 24

Mountain tops have a high rate of weathering becuase they are exposed to lots of wind, rain, freezing and gravity.

Front 25

soil

Back 25

a mixture of - loose rock and mineral fragments, organic material, water, and air- that can support plant growth.

Front 26

parent material\rock

Back 26

the source of rock particles and minerals in soil

Front 27

bedrock

Back 27

the layer of rock beneath soil

Front 28

soil texture

Back 28

soil quality based upon proportions of soil particle sizes

affects soil consistency, which is its ability to be worked and farmed

affects infiltration, which is the ability for water to move down through the soil.

Front 29

soil structue

Back 29

arrangement of soil particles

Front 30

soil ferility

Back 30

soil's ability to provide nutrients to plants.

Front 31

humus

Back 31

the dark organic material formed in soil from decayed plants and animals

Front 32

soil horizons

Back 32

different layers of soil called strata
the top layer is top soil and contains humus.

Front 33

soil ph

Back 33

soils can be acidic or basic.

the soil ph affects how nutrients in soil dissolve - just like your stomach

Front 34

soils and climate

Back 34

soil texture and composition changes from place to place.

Front 35

tropical rain forest

Back 35

thin humus layer/topsoil
lots of nutrient leaching and uptaken by plants

leaching caused by so much rain carrying nutrients down into soil beyond root's reach

Front 36

desert

Back 36

leaching is not a problem
no rain
no rain means low rates of weathering
poor nutrients
high salt content, which is poison for plants
groundwater can be the only source of water for some plants

Front 37

temperate forest and grassland

Back 37

enough rain for weathering but not enough to cause leaching

frost action occurs causing more weathering

high nutrient levels

grow lots of food, the mid western US is a temperate climate and called the breadbasket

Front 38

arctic climates

Back 38

like a cold desert, similar to desert conditions but cold.

low precipitation and weathering

Front 39

soil conservation

Back 39

a method to maintain the fertility of a soil by protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient loss

Front 40

importance of soil

Back 40

housing: soil provides animals with a habitat

water storage: soil holds water for plants to use

nutrient storage: soil holds nutrients for plants to use

Front 41

soil damage and loss

Back 41

desertification is soil damage caused by the degradation of fertile soil. The soil becomes a desert.

soil erosion is soil loss that is prevented by vegetation, soil fences and conservation techniques.

Front 42

soil conservation techniques

Back 42

contour plowing, terracing, no-till farming, cover crop, crop rotation

Front 43

contour plowing

Back 43

plowing perpendicular to the slope of a hill
plowing across the slope of a hill
slows water down from heavy rain
rows act as dams

Front 44

terracing

Back 44

changing one steep hill into a series of smaller more level fields (they look like stairs)

Front 45

no-till farming

Back 45

leaving old stalks to protect soil cover, reduce runoff and erosion

Front 46

cover crop

Back 46

crops planted between harvests to replace nutrients and prevent erosion

Front 47

crop rotation

Back 47

plant species are changed out year after year to prevent nutrient depletion or loss