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Ch 10
Soil
59
Science
6th Grade
11/28/2010

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Cards

Term
soil
Definition
a loose mixture of small mineral fragments, organic material, water ad air that can support the growth of vegetation; provides nutrients and moisture to plants which grow directly in it
animals benefit when soil is rich with nutrients
soil's ability to hold water allows plants to get the moisture they need
Term
habitat
Definition
region where a plant or animal lives
Term
soil damage and loss
Definition
overuse and over grazing can cause soil to be damaged and lose nutrients
Term
desertification / land degradation
Definition
without plants to hold and cycle water, an infertile area can become like a desert
Term
erosion
Definition
process by which wind, water or gravity transport soil and sediment from one location to another
Term
3 methods by which farms help prevent erosion
Definition
- contour plowing
- terracing
- no-till farming
Term
cover crops
Definition
crops that are planted between harvests to replace certain nutrients and prevent erosion
Term
crop rotation
Definition
slows down nutrient depletion b/c different crops use different nutrients in the soil
Term
transported soil
Definition
soil that is blown or washed away from its parent rock
Term
bedrock
Definition
the layer of rock beneath the soil
Term
parent rock
Definition
the rock formation that is the source of mineral fragments in the soil
Term
residual soil
Definition
soil that remins above its parent rock
Term
soil texture
Definition
soil quality that is based on the proportions of soil particles
Term
soil fertility
Definition
soils ability to hold nutrients and to supply nutrients to a plant
Term
infiltration
Definition
ability of water to move through the soil
Term
soil structure
Definition
arrangement of soil particles
Term
humus
Definition
the organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and animals
Term
horizons
Definition
because of the way soil forms soil often ends lup in a series of horizontal layers called this
Term
topsoil
Definition
the top layer of soil usually contains more humus than the layers below it
Term
leaching
Definition
the removal of substances that can be dissolved from rock and soil due to water passing through is called this; tropical soils are generally poor and thin due to leaching
Term
what is the pH scale used to measure?
Definition
how acid or basic a soil is and ranges from 0 to 14
Term
arctic areas
Definition
climate with low temperatures and slow soil formatio, resulting in thin soil that cannot support many plants; combined low precipitation and low temperature - plants and animals decompose slowly or not at all; limits the nutrients in the soil
Term
tropical rain forest
Definition
climate with heavy rain that leaches precious nutrients from the topsoil
lush plant growth takes large amount of nutrients from the soil
Term
temperate forest and grassland
Definition
climate with enough rain to cause a high level of chemical weathering, but not so much that the nutrients are leached out of the soil; the most productive soil in the world can be found here
Term
desert
Definition
climate with less than 25cm of rain per year and a low ability to support plant and animal life; toxic levels of salt are sometimes found in the soil here
Term
what happens to soil because of frequent changes in temperature in temperate climates
Definition
thick fertile soil develops
Term
abrasion
Definition
the grinding and weatherig away of rock surfaces through the mechanical action of other rock or sand particles
Term
acid precipitation
Definition
rain, sleet or sow that contains a high concentration of acid
Term
chemical weathering
Definition
the process by which rocks break down as a result of chemical reaction
Term
mechanical weathering
Definition
the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces by physical means; ice, wind, water, gravity, plants and animals can all be agents of mechanical weathering
Term
oxidation
Definition
a chemical reactio in which an element, such as iron, combines with oxygen to form an oxide
Term
weathering
Definition
the process by which rock materials are broken down by the actio of physical or chemical processes
Term
ice wedging
Definition
occurs when water filing a crack in a rock flows out and then freezes; type of frost action
Term
acids in groundwater
Definition
chemical weathering causes a carst landscape such as a cavern
Term
how do lichens slowly break down a rock
Definition
by chemical weathering
Term
what is most likely to experience oxidation
Definition
aluminum can (over wood/rubber, etc)
Term
differential weathering
Definition
a process by which softer less weather resistent rocks wear away and leave harder, more weather -resistant rocks behind
Term
climate
Definition
the average weather condition in an area over a long period of time
Term
chemical weathering is most rapid in areas that are
Definition
warm and wet
Term
which rocks are exposed to more wind, rain and ice?
Definition
rocks at a higher elevation
Term
small rocks weather more quickly than large rocks because their surface are is
Definition
Term
3 factors that determine the rate at which a rock weathers
Definition
climate, elevation, make up
Term
scientist believe Devil's Tower once was part of a
Definition
volcano
Term
the landform called Devil's Tower is made up of the hard, weather resistant rocks that remained after the softer rocks
Definition
wore away
Term
weathering takes place
Definition
on the outer surface of the rocks
Term
because of a large rock's volume it will
Definition
weather relatively slowly
Term
small rocks weather more quickly than large rocks because they hav emore surface area as compared to their
Definition
volume
Term
how does gravity contribute to the weathering of steep mountain slopes
Definition
the steepness increases the effects of chemical and mechanical weathering at a faster rate
Term
frost action
Definition
alternate freezing and thawing of soil and rock
Term
ventifacts
Definition
rocks that have been shaped by blowing sand
Term
gravity
Definition
one rock falling against another rock
Term
water
Definition
pebbles bumping against each other in a stream
Term
wind
Definition
wind blowing sand against a rock
Term
explain how a plant can break a rock
Definition
the force of the expading root becomes so strong that it can break a rock apart
Term
in what way can an animal cause mechanical weathering
Definition
by mixing and digging or burrowing through soil and rock particles
Term
weak acids
Definition
compounds formed by the burning of fossil fuels combine with water in the atmosphere and form this;
Term
burning of fossile fues
Definition
can cause acid precipitation
Term
a karst feature
Definition
over a long period of time, acids in the groundwater can cause chemical weathering of limestone, this weathering can form a cavern which is a type of
Term
rust
Definition
when oxygen in the air reacts with metal, oxidation occurs ad causes the metal to rust
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