Question |
Answer |
weathering |
mechanical and chemical surface processes that breaks rocks into smaller and smaller pieces |
mechanical weathering |
physical process that breaks rocks apart without changing the chemical make up; can be caused by ice wedging, animals, and plat roots |
ice wedging |
mechanical weathering process that occurs when water freezes cracks of rocks and expands causing the rock to break apart |
chemical weathering |
occurs when chemical reactions dissolved minerals in rocks or change them into different minerals |
oxidation |
chemical weathering process that occurs when a metallic material is exposed to oxygen and water over time |
climate |
average weather pattern in area over a long period of time can be classified by temperature, humidity, precipitation, and vegatation |
soil |
mixture of weathered rock, decayed organic matter,mineral fragments, water, and air that can take thousands of years to develop |
humus |
dark colored decayed organic mater that supplies nutrients to plants and is found mainly in top soil |
horizon |
each layer in a soil profile |
soil profile |
vertical sections each of what is horizon |
litter |
twigs leaves and other organic matter that it help prevent erosion hold water and eventually might be change into humus by decomposing organisms |
leaching |
removal of minerals that have been dissolved in water |
terracing |
farming method used to reduce erosion on steep slopes |