Weathering and soil 2

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breaking down of rock and other substances at earth's surface: weathering
movement of rock particles by wind, water, ice or gravity: erosion
2 types of weathering: mechanical (break cookie in 2)

chemical (dough - heat- cookie)
the type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces is called ________ weathering: mechanical
List 5 forces of mechanical weathering: freezing , thawing, releasing pressure, growth of plants, action of animals,
what is abrasion: grinding away of rock particles carried by water, ice, wind and gravity
ice wedging cycle - 1. water seeps into cracks 2. _______ 3. ice widens cracks 4. ________: 2. freezes, forms ice & expands

4. melts, seeps deeper and freezes and thaws over and over
the process that breaks down rock through chemical change is _______ weathering: chemical
list 5 agents of chemical weatehring: water, oxygen, co2, living organisms, acid rain
t or f chemical weathering produces rock particles with the SAME mineral makeup as the rock they came from: FALSE
it causes iron to rust: oxygen
it's caused by pollution: acid rain
it's the most important agent: water
it forms carbonic acid: carbon dioxide
lichens are one example: living organisms
t or f water weathers rock by gradually dissolving it: TRUE
oxygen weathers rock through a process called: chemical weathering
list two kinds of rock that are easily weathered by carbonic acid: marble & limestone
how do plants dissolve rock: plants dissolve rock by producing a weak acid that slowly dissolve rock around the roots of a plant
the most importnat factors that determine the rate of weathering are type of rock and ______: climate
t or f the minerals that make up a rock determine how fast it weathers: TRUE
a rock that is full of tiny, connectd air spaces is said to be: PERMEABLE
why does a permeable rock weather chemically at a fast rate: a permeable rock weathers chemically at a fast rate because as water seeps through the spaces in the rock, it removes dissolved material formed by weathering
why does chemical weathering occur more quickly in a hot climate: chemical weathering occurs more quickly in a hot climate because heat produces moisture & rain. The rainfall provides the water needed for chemical changes
what is weathering: the breaking down of rocks/substances on earth's surface
what is erosion: movement of ice particles by wind, water, ice or gravity
what is mechanical weathering: when rocks are physically broken into smaller pieces
small pieces have the _____ compsition (make up): same

examples - cracked/peeling in layers
name 4 forces of mechanical weathering (breaks rocks into pieces by doing this): freezing and thawing
releasing pressure
growth of plants
action of animals
mechanical weathring works fast or slow?: slowly
what is the most cause of weathering: freezing and thawing of water
water seeps into cracks and expand when frozen and actics like a ____: wedge
what is ice wedging: when wedge of ice widens and cracks
what is chemical weathering: breaks down rocks due to chemical change
what is the main agent (cause) of chemical weathering: water
what is the most important cause of dissolving rock: oxygen
oxidation in rust - makes rock soft & crumbly: c02 (cardon dioxide)
carbonic acid: living organisms
plant roots produce acids that discove rock: acid rain
what are factors?: factors that determine how fast rock weathers
what is permeable: allows water to seep in easily due to air spaces
mechanical and chemical weathering happen _____ in wet places: faster
_____ weathering happens faster at higher temperatures: chemical
some organisms make: humas
examples of life in soil: plant roots, earthworms, fungi, bacteria, ants, animals, insects
what is litter: the loose layer of dead plant leaves and stems on the surface of the soil
what are decomposers: soil organism that breaks down the remains of organisms and digests them
4 main types of decomposers: fungi, protists, bacterais, worms
different climates and bedrock (plant life) determine what?: type of soil
soil is classified by _____, ______ and _______: climate, region and composition
7 major types of soil in N.A.: tundra soils, Northern Forest soils, Prairie soils, mountain soils, southern forest soil, desert soil, tropical soil
the loose, weathered material on Earth' surface in which plants can grow is: soil
how does soil form: soil forms as rock is broken down by weathering and mixes with other materials on the surface
the solid layer of rock beneath the soil is called: bedrock
what two factors determine the type of rock particles and minerals in any given soil: bedrock and the type of weathering
what are the 3 types of weathered rock particles found in soil: sand, silt, clay
the decayed organic material in soil is called: humus
list the soil particles from largest to smallest sand, gravel, clay, silt (put these in order): gravel, sand, silt, clay
soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt is called: loam
what is the makeup of soil horizon A: topsoil
what is the makeup of soil horizon B: subsoil
what is the makeup of soil horizon C: rock particles
how do soil organisms improve soil: by mixing the soil and making spaces in it for air and water
T or F animals contribute most of the organic remains that form humus: f
as plants shed leaves, they form a loose layer called: litter
soil organisms that turn dead organic matter into humus are called: decomposer
list the main soil decomposers (4): fungi, protists, bacteria, worms
give 2 examples of fungi: molds, mushrooms
t or f earthworms do most of the work of mixing humus with other materials in soil: t
how can burrowing mammals improve soil: by breaking up hard, compacted soil and mixing humus through it
what kind of soil is best for growing plants: loam
what did george washington carver teach the farmers in the south: he taught new methods of soil conservation
define erosion: the process by which water, ice, wind or gravity moves weathered rock and soil
MOVEMENT
define weathering: the chemical and physical processes that BREAK DOWN rock at earth's surface
list 2-3 ways in which plant roots are involved in weather of rocks and/or making soil: 1. hold soil in place
2. acids - break down rocks
define abrasion: GRINDING away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice or wind
what is contour plowing: is plowing fields along the surves of a slope to prevent soil loss
when ______ becomes dissolved in rainwater and sinks into the soil, the result is an acid that can weather marble: carbon dioxide
an area's ________ and plant life determine what type of soil forms: climate
define humus: dark colored organic material in soil
what is the dust bowl: the area of the great plains where wind erosion & drought caused soil loss during the 1930's
t or f
the most important agent of chemical weathering is abrasion.
**if false, give correct answer: FALSE

*water
t or f carbon dixoide is the gas that causes iron to oxide: f

*oxygen
t or f freezing and thawing are chemical weathering: f

*mechanical
t or f acide rain is a form of chemical weathering: t
how do plants caused mechanical weathering?: by entering the spaces in the rock and growing, they break the rock into pieces
how does contour plowing conserve soil: by slowing down runoff of excess rainfall and prevents it from washing away
how could another dust bowl occur? what 2 factors would contribute?: by farmers plowing again, exposing the soil during a drought, so the soil will blow away.
1. plowing to expose soil
2. drought and heavy winds
what CHEMICAL WEATHERING evidence might you observe on a rock that contains iron: the rion in the rock would ruse and water would dissolve it because of oxidation
what MECHANICAL weather would you observe on a rock that contains iron: freezing and thawing would split the rock in pieces
what are some factors that help weathering: heat, cold, water, ice, oxygen, carbon dioxide
what do weathering and eroision work together to do: wear down and carry away rocks
what are some examples of mechanical weathering: cracked, peeling in layers
what are some forces of mechanical weathering: freezing & thawing
releasing pressure
plant growht
actions of animals
abrasion
does mechanical weathering work fast or slow: slow
what is the main agent that causes chemical weathering: water
what is the most important cause of dissolving rock in chemical weathering: water
what is burned fuels that mix with water & cause rapid chemical weathering. "eats" away rock: acid rain
what are plant roots that produce acids that dissolve rock: living organism
mechanical & chemical weathering happen (slower/faster) in wet places: fasher
what are the most fertile soil in the world: priairies
soil damage - sil can be ______ (loss its fertility) due to 1 crop growth: exhausted
how can soil be damaged?: *lost to erosion by water & wind
*soil is washed away when not protected by plant cover
*plant roots hold soil together
the texture of soil depends on what?: how it appears and feels
the individual soil particles
what is the A horizon: made up of top soil, a crumbly, dark brown soil that is a mixture of humus, clay and other materials
what is the B horizon: often called subsoil, usually consists of clay, and other particles washed down from the a horizon, BUT LITTLE HUMUS
what is the C horizon: contains only partly weathered rock
some organisms make _______ for air and water: spaces
some organisms make _____: humus
soil is classified by: climate, region and coposition
major types of soil in N.A.: tundra, norther forest, prairie, mountain, souther forest, desert, tropical
the thick mass of tough roots at the surface of the soil is called: sod
t or f prairie soils are no longer amount the most fertile soils in the world: F - they ARE the most fertile soils
why is soil one of earth's most valuable resources: because of its limited supply
t or f soil can be found wherever weathering occurs: t
t or f soil is a nonrenewable resource: f
soil formation takes a long time: t
fertle soil is plentiful: f
half of earth has soils good for farming: f
how can soil be damanged: by losing its fertility and dry up
how can plants protect soil from water eroision: by plants breaking the force of falling rain and plant roots hold soil together
t or f the great plains are farther west than the prairies: t
the great plains are drier than the prairies: t
the great plains begin at the appalachian mountains: f
the great plains have never been farmer or used for ranches: f
which 3 states were part of the dust bowl: oklahoma, kanasa, texas
the management of soil to prevent its destruction is referred to as: soil conservation
why did the dust bowl lead to the adoption of modern methods of soil conservation: because farmers realized they weren't taking care of the soil and started to take care of their land
type of plowing that conserves soil AND involves plowing along curves: contour plowing
type of plowing that conserves soil AND disturbs soil as little as possible: conservation plowing
how can livestock damage soil: because the grass protecting the soil may be damaged which exposes wind and water erosion to the soil

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