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40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
The general process by which rocks on the earth's surface are broken down is called ________________. |
weathering |
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The physical weathering of rocks is called ________________. |
disintegration |
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The chemical weathering of rocks is called _________________. |
decomposition |
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_________________ (physical) weathering is the breakdown of rocks by physical forces. It _______ change rock chemistry. |
1. Mechanical 2. does not |
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There are five ways to cause physical weathering. _________________, __________________, _________________, ________________and _____________________. |
Unloading, biological activity, frost wedging, thermal expansion/contraction and differential weathering. |
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_______________ is the removal of great weights of rock or ice through erosion, causing underlying igneous rocks to expand and form an exfoliation dome. |
Unloading |
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Through ___________ ______________, roots and plants grow into and expand fractures, allowing water and chemicals to physical weather rocks. |
biological activity |
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In __________ ______________, repeated thawing and freezing causes fractures called frost wedging. Talus slopes, which are piles of broken rock, form from this. |
Frost wedging |
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In __________ _________________, rocks of different strength are weathering at different rates. |
differential weathering |
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Chemical weathering requires ___________, and is accelerated by warmer temperatures. |
water |
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The three types of chemical weathering are ________________, _______________ and __________________. |
Dissolution, oxidation and hydrolysis. |
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__________________ is a type of chemical weathering. It is the dissolving of minerals by water. |
Dissolution |
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_______________ is a type of chemical weathering where one electron is lost from one element to another. |
Oxidation |
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_________________ is a type of chemical weathering, and involves the reaction of any substance with water. Many silicates decompose to clays due to this process. |
Hydrolysis |
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Are rocks containing silicates more or less resistant? |
More |
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Rocks containing ___________, such as marble and limestone, readily dissolve in weakly acidic solutions. |
calcite |
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Soil is composed of three may parts: __________________, ______________ and _______________. |
Regolith, soil and humus. |
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______________ is the layer of rock and minerals produced by weathering which covers the earth's surface. |
Regolith |
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____________ is a combination of mineral and organic matter which supports plant life. |
Soil |
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____________ is the organic component of soil. |
Humus |
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Factors that influence soil formation are: ______________, _______________, _______________, ________________ and _______________. |
Organisms, climate, topography, time and parent material. |
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Since soil formation occurs from the surface downwards, layers of soil form called __________. |
horizons |
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The __ horizon is loose and decaying material, humus. |
O |
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The __ horizon is organic and mineral matter with high biological activity. |
A |
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The ___ and ____ horizons make up the topsoil. |
O and A |
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The ____ horizon has little organic matter and is a zone of eluviation and leaching. |
E |
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The ___ horizon, also known as subsoil, is mineral soil with inorganic parts. |
B |
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The ____ horizon is unmodified parent material. |
C |
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____________ is a natural process that can be accelerated by humans, and is the processes that loosen and move rock fragments. |
Erosion |
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Erosion has agents of agents of removal. These are: ___________, ______________ and _____________. Erosion removes weathered material, exposing new surfaces. |
water, wind and glaciers. |
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____________ deposits are formed by lakes, while ___________ deposits are formed by streams. |
Lacustrine, and Fluvial |
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___________ deposits form along coastlines, while _________ deposits come from glaciers. |
Littoral, and glacial. |
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____________ deposits are due to mass wasting. |
Colluvium |
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_____________ deposits are due to the wind. |
Eolian |
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Soil is ____% pore space, _____% humus and _____% rock and mineral fragments. |
50%, 5%, 45%. |
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The three generic soil types are ______________, ______________ and __________________. |
Pedalfer, pedocal and laterite. |
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The three main reasons for sinkhole formation are _________________, ________________ and _______________. |
Erosion, surface loading and water withdrawal. |
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_____________ soil is associated with hot, wet and tropical climates with intense chemical weathering. |
Laterite |
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_____________ soil is associated with accumulation of iron oxides and aluminium clays in the B horizon. Best developed in forest environments, temperate climates. |
Pedalfer |
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______________ soil is associated with high accumulation of calcium carbonate. Found in grassland environments. |
Pedocal |