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Definition
| process that breaks down rock and other substances at Earth's surface |
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Definition
| movement of rock particlesby wind, water, ice, or gravity |
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| physical/mechanical weathering |
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Definition
| type of weathering in which rock is PHYSICALLY broken down into smaller pieces |
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Definition
| the grinding away of rock by rock particles carried by water, ice, wind, or gravity |
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| water seeps into cracks and since it freezes it acts as a wedge, widening and deepening cracks in rocks |
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Definition
| process that breaks down rock through chemical changesby water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms, and acid rain |
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| means that a material is full of tiny, connected air spaces that allow water to seep through it |
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| loose, weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow |
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Definition
| solid layer of rock beneath the soil |
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| dark-colored substance that forms as plant and animal remains decay |
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| layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it |
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| crumbly, dark-brown soil that is a mixture of humus, clay, and other minerals |
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| usually consists of clay and other particles washed down from the A horizon, but little humus |
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| loose layer of leaves formed by shedded leaves from plants |
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| organisms that break down the remains of dead organisms into smaller pieces and digest them with chemicals |
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| thick mass of tough roots at the surface of the soil |
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Definition
| resource that is naturally replaced in a relatively short time |
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| area where wind erosion caused severe loss of topsoil |
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Definition
| management of soil to prevent its destruction |
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Definition
| practice of plowing fields along the curves of a slope |
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Term
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Definition
| disturbs the soil and its plant cover as little as possible |
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Term
| the factors that cause mechanical/physical weathering |
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Definition
| freezing and thawing, release of pressure, growth of plants, actions of animals, and abrasion |
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Term
| three causes of chemical weathering |
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Definition
-if rocks contain iron, then in the presence of water, oxygen will make it rust and crumble
-plants' roots produce an acid that slowly dissolves the rock
-acid rain can be formed and greatly weather rock |
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| the factors that affect the rate of weathering |
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Definition
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| reason why rocks weather more in hot, rainy climates than in cold, dry ones |
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Definition
| chemical reactions occur faster at higher temperatures, and water is a factor of chemical weathering |
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Term
| weathering's role in the formation of soil |
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Definition
| weathering creates the soil by weathering the bedrock into smaller and smaller pieces |
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| the different materials that make up topsoil |
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Definition
| rock particles, organic matter,minerals, water, and air |
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Term
| the way plants and animals affect the formation and composition of soil |
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Definition
| plants become most of the humus in the soil, animals mix it and bring in humus throughout it, some other animals also become humus |
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Term
| difference between forest soils and prairie soils |
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Definition
| forest soils are lacking great amounts of humus where as prairie soils have great amounts of humus |
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| the importance of soil as one of Earth's resources |
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Definition
| everything depends directly or indirectly on soil |
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| what the settlers did that helped make the Dust Bowl |
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Definition
| they plowed away the grass, leaving the soil exposed |
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Term
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Definition
| soil made of equal amounts of clay, silt, and sand |
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