Weathering
What type of weathering is caused by oxygen reacting with minerals in rocks?
Oxidation
What is the term for erosion caused by glaciers scraping the surface of the land?
Glacial abrasion
What is the difference between an alluvial fan and a delta?
An alluvial fan forms on land at the base of a slope, while a delta forms where a river meets a body of water.
What is the name of the scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?
The Richter scale
What is loam, and why is it considered ideal soil for plants?
Loam is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay, providing good drainage and nutrients for plants.
How does plant growth contribute to both physical and chemical weathering?
Roots break rocks physically, while decaying plants release acids that chemically break down rocks
How does erosion affect ecosystems?
Erosion can remove topsoil needed for plant growth, leading to habitat loss.
How does wind deposition shape landscapes in deserts?
Wind deposits sand to form features like dunes and ripples.
Why are volcanic eruptions more likely near tectonic plate boundaries?
Plate boundaries often have fractures where magma can rise to the surface
Describe one way humans can reduce the effects of erosion.
Planting vegetation, building terraces, or using windbreaks.
Describe the role of climate in weathering.
Warm, wet climates increase chemical weathering, while cold climates promote physical weathering like freeze-thaw cycles.
Why do farming practices like plowing increase the risk of erosion?
Plowing disturbs soil, making it more likely to be carried away by wind or water.
Why are deposition zones often rich in nutrients?
Sediments carried by water often include minerals and organic matter that enrich the soil.
How does an underwater earthquake lead to a tsunami?
The displacement of water caused by the earthquake generates large waves
Explain how weathering, erosion, and deposition work together to create a canyon
Weathering breaks down the rock, erosion carries it away, and deposition creates new landforms downstream.
Why is weathering important for soil formation?
Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller particles that mix with organic matter to form soil.
Explain how the rate of erosion is affected by the slope of the land.
Steeper slopes increase the speed of water flow, leading to faster erosion.
Describe how deposition contributes to the creation of barrier islands.
Deposition of sand and sediments along coastlines builds up over time, forming islands parallel to the shore
How do landslides impact rivers?
Landslides can block rivers, creating natural dams, or cause flooding downstream.
Why do areas with a lot of rainfall have more soil erosion than dry areas?
Heavy rainfall increases water flow, which carries more soil away
Compare how granite and limestone respond to weathering.
Limestone weathers faster due to its susceptibility to chemical weathering by acids, while granite is more resistant to both physical and chemical weathering.
How can human activities like mining accelerate erosion?
Mining removes vegetation and disturbs the soil, leaving it exposed to wind and water.
How can deposition lead to the creation of new ecosystems?
Sediments can create fertile areas like deltas, where plants and animals thrive.
Why are some volcanic eruptions more explosive than others?
Explosiveness depends on the magma’s viscosity and gas content; high-viscosity magma traps more gases, leading to greater pressure and explosive eruptions.
Predict what might happen to a coastline over hundreds of years if no deposition occurs.
The coastline would erode away, leading to loss of land.