Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movements
physical forces break into smaller pieces without changing the rock mineral composition
Mechanical Weathering
what is the unending circulation of Earth's water supply
the water cycle
thick ice mass that moves slowly over land
glacier
what is the study of earth
geology
what is nash favorite animal
platypus
When water freezes and expands, it enlarges the cracks
frost wedging
movement of surface water into rock or soil through cracks and pore spaces
infiltration
material deposited directly by a glacier
till
It is located at a latitude of 0 degrees and divides the Earth into two equal hemispheres (north and south).
Equator
who is the most famous person of all time
Jesus
The transfer of rock and soil downslope due to gravity
mass movement
when the discharge of a stream becomes so great that it exceeds the capacity of the channel
flood
What is the largest desert on Earth
Antarctica (Any large, extremely dry area of land with sparse vegetation)
name the four major spheres of Earth and define what they contain
Atmosphere – Thin gaseous layer surrounding earth, Hydrosphere – All the water, Geosphere – Solid Layer – 3 main parts: Core; Mantle; Crust, Biosphere – All life on earth
what is the deepest point on earth
Mariana trench
the part of regolith that supports the growth of plants
material's ability to transmit a fluid
permeability
When deflation occurs for a long period, only coarse particles that can't be moved by wind remain. What is the remaining stony surface layer
desert pavement
Name the 3 major types of rocks and how they form
Igneous - cooling of lava
Metamorphic - Heat, pressure, and fluids can act to change a rock's structure and composition
Sedimentary - formed by the accumulation and lithification of sediment or by the precipitation from solution at normal surface temperatures
what is the term for a mammal that lays eggs
monotreme
Name 3 of the 4 major components of soil
mineral matter/broken down rock, organic matter/humus, water and air
the area where water fills all of the pore spaces in sediment and rock
zone of saturation
what are the two ways in which wind erodes land? define them
deflation (when the wind lifts and removes loose particles such as clay or silt) and abrasion (when windblown sand cuts and polishes exposed rock surfaces)
which alternative energy source is harnessed by tapping natural underground reservoirs of steam and hot water
geothermal energy
What two planets in our solar system have no moons?
mercury and venus