Geologic Process and History

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What is weathering?

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Weathering is the process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces due to exposure to natural elements like wind, water, and temperature changes.

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What is erosion?

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Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from one location and transported to another, often by wind, water, or ice.

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What is deposition?

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Deposition is the process where sediments, soil, and rocks are added to a landform or land mass, often occurring after erosion.

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What is the rock cycle?

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The rock cycle is a continuous process that describes the transformation of rocks through weathering, erosion, deposition, and other geological processes.

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What is chemical weathering?

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Chemical weathering is the process that breaks down rocks through chemical reactions, often involving water and acids, leading to changes in the mineral composition.

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What is physical weathering?

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Physical weathering is the process that breaks rocks into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition, often due to temperature changes or freeze-thaw cycles.

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What is sediment?

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Sediment is small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living things, often transported by water, wind, or ice.

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What is oxidation in the context of weathering?

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Oxidation is a chemical weathering process where oxygen reacts with minerals in rocks, often leading to rust formation.

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What role does acid rain play in weathering?

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Acid rain contributes to chemical weathering by reacting with minerals in rocks, leading to their gradual breakdown.

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How do weathering, erosion, and deposition relate to the rock cycle?

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Weathering breaks down rocks into sediments, erosion transports these sediments, and deposition adds them to new locations, all of which are essential processes in the rock cycle.