Term
| When does mechanical weathering occur ? |
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Definition
| When physical forces break rock into smaller and smaller pieces without changing the rock's mineral composition |
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Term
| Name three physical processes that cause mechanical weathering ? |
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Definition
| Frost wedging,unloading,and biological activity |
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Term
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Definition
| When water freezes and expands it enlarges the cracks,after many freeze thaw cycles the rock breaks into pieces |
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Term
| Slabs of outer rock separate like the layers of an onion and break loose in a process called ? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is meant by biological activity ? |
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Definition
| The activities of organisms,including plants,burrowing animals,and humans |
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Term
| Explain chemical weathering ? |
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Definition
| Transformation of rock into one or more new compounds |
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Term
| _______is the most important agent of chemical weathering |
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Definition
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Term
| Can chemical weathering change the physical shape of a rock ? |
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Definition
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Term
| What two factors affect the rate of weathering ? |
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Definition
| Rock characteristics and climate |
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Term
| Give an example of a rock characteristic. |
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Definition
| Gravestones made of granite are relatively resistant to chemical weathering,marble gravestones undergo much more rapid chemical weathering |
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Term
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Definition
| weathering produces a layer of rock and mineral fragments |
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Term
| Name the 4 major components of soil ? |
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Definition
| Mineral matter,organic matter,water,and air |
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Term
| What are the most important factors in soil formation ? |
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Definition
| parent material,time,climate,and slope |
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Term
| Soil varies in composition,___,___,and ___ at different depths |
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Definition
| texture,structure,and color |
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Term
| What are three common types of soil ? |
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Definition
| pedalfer,pedocal,and laterite |
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Term
| How do human activities affect rates of erosion ? |
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Definition
| remove natural vegetation,such as farming,logging,and construction,have greatly accelerated erosion.Without plants soil is carried away more easily by water and wind |
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Term
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Definition
| Transfer of rock and soil downslope due to gravity |
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Term
| What triggers mass movements ? |
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Definition
| saturation of surface materials with water,oversteepening of slopes,removal of vegetaion,and earthquakes |
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Term
| How do geologists classify mass movements ? |
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Definition
| based on the kind of material that moves,how it moves,and the speed of movement |
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Term
| When does rockfall occur ? |
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Definition
| occurs when rocks or rock fragments fall freely through the air |
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Term
| How do mudflows differ from earth-flows ? |
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Definition
| Mudflows are common in semiarid mountains,regions,such parts of Southern California.Earth-flows move relatively slow from about a millimeter per day to several meters per day |
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