Relative Dating, Soil, and Weathering

Relative Dating

100

The law of ____ states that all layers of sediment are deposited horizontally. 

Horizontality 

200

The law of superposition states that young rocks will be at the top of the rock layer while _____ rocks are at the bottom.

Older

300

Based on lateral continuity all layers will ___ up if even if there is a valley in between rock formations. 

Line

400

Which is the Index Fossil?

Ammonite 

500

Put each layer, fault, and intrusion in order from youngest to oldest.

1. Fault E

2. Layer D

3. Layer A

4. Layer B

5. Layer C

Soil

100

The three main components of soil are.....

200

Term used to describe the amount of pore/open spaces between particles.

Porosity 

300

Term used to describe the ability of water to flow/travel through soil.

Permeability 

400

List the order of the main horizons (aka layers of soil) 

1. _ Layer - Organic Material at the top.

2. _ Layer - AKA Topsoil, rich in minerals.

3. _ Layer - AKA Subsoil, clay and smaller sediments settle here. 

4. _ Layer - AKA Substratum, Parent rock.

5. _ Layer - AKA Bedrock, Unweathered parent material. 

500

____ is another term for the organic material in soil.

Humus

Weathering

100

If you cut a piece of paper into a million of tiny pieces, what type of weathering is this?

Mechanical/Physical

200

List the 5 things that can cause mechanical (physical) weathering.

1. Wind

2. Water

3. Ice

4. Plants/Animals

5. Gravity

300

When the new rocks formed are not the same as the original parent rock, what type of weathering has occurred?

Chemical 

400

List the 3 things that can cause chemical weathering. 

1. Water (Hydrolysis)

2. Carbon Dioxide (Carbonic Acid/Acid Rain)

3. Oxygen (Oxidation - Rust)

500

When tiny pieces of sediment brush against a large rock and break tiny pebbles off, this is known as ____.

Abrasion

Soil Triangle

100

40% Clay

50% Sand

10% Silt 

Sandy Clay

200

20% Clay

40% Sand

40% Silt

Medium Loam

300

30% Clay

20% Silt

50% Sand 

Sandy Clay Loam

400

20% Silt

10% Clay

70% Sand 

Sandy Loam

500

50% Silt

30% Clay

20% Sand

Clay Loam or Silty Clay Loam

Lab Questions

100

What type of weathering did snapping the Alka-Seltzer tablet in half represent?

Mechanical/Physical (product formed is still the same as parent material)

200

What type of weathering did putting the tablet in the water represent? 

Chemical (product formed is different than parent material)

300

Soil that is equal parts sand, silt, and clay is known as ____.

Loam

400

How does mechanical weathering help speed up chemical weathering?

Mechanical Weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces. This exposes more surface area making it easier to chemical weather. 

500

Is Porosity and Permeability directly or indirectly correlated with one another?

Directly Correlated

High Porosity=High Permeability 

Low Porosity=Low Permeability