Earth's Spheres
In which sphere do bacteria belong?
Biosphere
Define chemical weathering.
The process by which chemical reactions break down rocks and change them into new material.
Define erosion.
The removal of weathered material from one location to another.
Define deposition.
The settling or laying-down of eroded materials.
Define physical weathering.
The process of physical forces breaking down rock into smaller pieces.
What makes up the atmosphere?
The gases that surround the Earth
What is the main hint that chemical weathering has occured?
Color change.
How does does a steeper gradient (slope) impact erosion?
A steeper gradient increases the rate of erosion.
How does gravity affect erosion and deposition?
Gravity pulls objects down, so eroded material typically moves and deposits, or settles, towards the ground.
What are the main forces that contribute to physical weathering?
Water and wind.
How is the cryosphere different from the hydrosphere?
The cryosphere consists of frozen water (ice) while the hydrosphere consists of liquid water.
Name a type of chemical weathering.
Oxidation or acid precipitation
Describe the process of beach erosion.
Waves continually crashing against a beach cause the sand to be eroded away and carried out into the ocean, diminishing the size of the beach.
Name a landform that is a result of deposition.
Several correct answers.
How are physical and chemical weathering similar?
They both break down rocks.
In which sphere does the Grand Canyon belong?
Geosphere
What is acid precipitation?
Rain with a low pH from pollution that dissolves rocks and increases the rate of chemical weathering.
Describe the relationship between weathering, erosion, and deposition.
Weathering breaks down rocks into sediment, erosion moves the sediment to a different location, and deposition is the process of that sediment settling in the new location.
How is erosion different from deposition?
Erosion is the process of moving sediment, while deposition occurs after and is the process of settling down the eroded material.
Describe the process of abrasion.
The grinding away of rock by friction or impact, usually by water or wind.
Name two spheres and describe one way they interact with each other.
Several correct answers.
How is chemical weathering different from physical weathering?
Chemical weathering changes the substance of rocks into something new, while physical weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces.
Define discharge and state how it impacts erosion.
Discharge is the volume of water flowing through a river or stream, so an increase in discharge would increase erosion.
Describe how erosion and deposition work together to create sand dunes.
Wind erosion moves sand on beaches, and deposition is the process of the sand settling into a mound, or dune, on the beach.
Describe the process of pothole formation and identify the type of physical weathering it is.
Ice wedging - water enters cracks in roads and expands when it freezes, widening the cracks and eventually creating holes in the road.