Weathering/Soil Formation

Burrowing animals like earthworms, ants, and rabbits can cause:

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• differential weathering
• abrasion

What is erosion?

• process of breaking rock
• process by which sediment and material is transported from one location to another
• process by which sediment and material is deposited in a new location
• process that breaks down rock by physical means

The process by which rock is broken down as a result of a chemical reaction:

• chemical weathering
• mechanical weathering
• physical weathering
• differential weathering

The two major types of weathering are:

• differential and oxidation
• mechanical and chemical
• mechanical and differential
• chemical and differential

What is soil conservation?

• The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants & animals.
• The layer of rock beneath the soil.    
• a method to maintain the fertility of the soil by protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient loss.
• A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water, & air that can support vegetation.   

What is soil?

• The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants & animals.
• The layer of rock beneath the soil.   
• a method to maintain the fertility of the soil by protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient loss.
• A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water, & air that can support vegetation.   

What is bedrock?

• The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants & animals.
• The layer of rock beneath the soil.   
• a method to maintain the fertility of the soil by protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient loss.
• A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water, & air that can support vegetation.   

What is humus?

• The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants & animals.
• The layer of rock beneath the soil.   
• a method to maintain the fertility of the soil by protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient loss.
• A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water, & air that can support vegetation.   

This occurs when water seeps into cracks in rock and when the temperature drops, the water freezes & expands the rock:

• abrasion
• glaciers
• ice wedging
• soil horizon

Chemical weathering happens faster in:

• warmer, moist climates
• colder, moist climates
• warmer, dry climates
• colder, dry climates