YOU
What is ABRASION?
When the wind carries particles that scrape against rock and FRICTION wears away that rock.
This process DROPS sediments in a new location.
Deposition
The main/primary cause of EROSION on Earth is due to:
moving water in our hydropshere
What are some organisms that help form humus (organic material)?
fungi (fungus), bacteria & worms all help to DECOMPOSE organic remains such as leaves, roots, and stems.
What types of natural disasters cause MASS MOVEMENT?
Floods, Earthquakes, Hurricanes
This process BREAKS down rock due to the impact of temperature, ice, water or gases.
Weathering
Is this example Chemical OR Mechanical/Physical Weathering?
A family of little furry moles (lots of them) have made living spaces in Mrs. B's yard by burrowing into the ground.
Mechanical/Physical- the moles are changing the shape/structure of the ground but NOT chemically altering it.
Loose weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants grow is known as:
soil
A landform that has sediment deposited right at the mouth of a large body of water is known as a:
delta
Scenario: While on a walk, you notice that a large piece of concrete has been pushed up by tree roots. What type of weathering is this?
Mechanical Weathering b/c the concrete has been physically broken or cracked.
Runoff is excess water that moves over land surfaces. The amount of runoff depends upon many factors such as:
1) amount of rainfall in an area
2) type/amount of vegetation
3) type of soil
4) shape of the land
5) how people use the land
Which of these soil particles is the smallest?
clay, sand, gravel or silt
clay
What is mass movement and what is one SPECIFIC example?
Mass movement is when GRAVITY moves sediment downhill rapidly OR slowly.
TYPES: (here are all 4)
LANDSLIDE
MUDFLOW
SLUMP
CREEP
This process MOVES rock particles by force of water, wind, ice or gravity.
Erosion
As water slows down, it will DEPOSIT more or less sediment? Answer and explain.
The water will deposit more sediments because the speed of the water slowing does not allow as many particles to stay in the water's current. They begin to drop and settle more sediment.
What is SOIL composed of?
rock particles
minerals
decayed organic material called 'humus'
water
air
This type of weathering occurs when rocks are physically broken down, cracked or split.
Mechanical/Physical Weathering
This type of topography shows areas with layers of limestone near the surface that are greatly impacted by sinkholes.
Karst Topography
Describe a floodplain.
A wide area of land along a river. During heavy rain seasons, the river floods and overflows into the floodplains (outer land area)
Scenario: Your family has booked a trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky! This will be your first time inside a cave. You will see stalactites and stalagmites (icicle shaped structures) and you know these form because water containing carbonic acid, drops from the roof of a cave, leaving calcite behind. What type of weathering is this?
Chemical because an acid is combining with the water which reacts to prodcue calcite.
Scenario: During a hike in a local state park, Mrs. B notices a rock with lichen (moss) attached to the surface. What type of weathering is happening to the rock?
Chemical weathering because the acid in lichen is slowly breaking down the rock. (KEY WORD: Acid = chemical reaction)
How do earthworms help to mix soil?
Earthworms eat their way through soil and carry humus (decayed organic material) down to the subsoil, Then, they carry subsoil towards the surface.
This type of weathering causes PERMANENT (or irreversible) change to material as it breaks down rock.
Chemical Weathering
Which of these soil particles is the largest?
clay, sand, gravel or silt
gravel
Caves form when:
carbonic acid breaks down a soft rock called limestone