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weathering & erosion
vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| weathering | the physical or chemical breakdowns of rocks and minerals into smaller pieces or aqueous solutions on Earth's surface |
| mechanical weathering | any weathering processes that cause physical disintegration of exposed rock without any change in the chemical composition of the rock |
| chemical weathering | the erosion of rocks caused by chemical reactions (mostly by water substances & substances dissolved in it) |
| soil | the fertile, outermost layers of Earth's crust; composed of bits of rocks and minerals mixed with decomposing plant and animal materials |
| organic | naturally occurring substances created by an organism's body processes |
| matter | material that has mass and takes up some amount of space |
| erosion | the process by which wind, water, ice, gravity, or other natural forces move sediment over Earth's surface |
| roots | a plant organ that takes in water and nutrients and usually anchors it in place |
| topography | detailed |