The geologic principle that the same geologic processes that operate today operated in the past to change Earth's surface.

The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered particles of rock and soil.

The chemical and physical processes that break down rock and other substances.

mechanical weathering

The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.

The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.

The grinding away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice, or wind.

Process that splits rock when water seeps into cracks, then freezes and expands.

A chemical change in which a substance combines with oxygen, as when iron oxidizes, forming rust.

Characteristic of a material that contains connected air spaces, or pores, that water can seep through easily.

The loose, weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow.

Rock that makes up Earth's crust; also the solid rock layer beneath the soil.

Dark-colored organic material in soil.

A measure of how well soil supports plant growth.

Rich, fertile soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt.

A range of values used to indicate how acidic or basic a substance is; expresses the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution.

A layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it.

The crumbly, topmost layer of soil made up of clay and other minerals and humus (nutrients and decaying plant and animal matter).

The layer of soil below topsoil that has less plant and animal matter than topsoil and contains mostly clay and other minerals.

An organism that gets energy by breaking down wastes and dead organisms, and returns raw materials to the soil and water.

Anything naturally occurring in the environment that humans use.

The management of soil to limit its destruction.

The planting of different crops in a field each year to maintain the soil's fertility.

Plowing fields along the curves of a slope to prevent soil loss.

Soil conservation method in which weeds and dead stalks from the previous year's crop are plowed into the ground.

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Weathering and Soil

Term	Definition
uniformitarianism	The geologic principle that the same geologic processes that operate today operated in the past to change Earth's surface.
erosion	The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered particles of rock and soil.
weathering	The chemical and physical processes that break down rock and other substances.
mechanical weathering	The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.
chemical weathering	The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.
abrasion	The grinding away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice, or wind.
frost wedgeing	Process that splits rock when water seeps into cracks, then freezes and expands.
oxidation	A chemical change in which a substance combines with oxygen, as when iron oxidizes, forming rust.
permeable	Characteristic of a material that contains connected air spaces, or pores, that water can seep through easily.
soil	The loose, weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow.
bedrock	Rock that makes up Earth's crust; also the solid rock layer beneath the soil.
humus	Dark-colored organic material in soil.
fertility	A measure of how well soil supports plant growth.
loam	Rich, fertile soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt.
pH scale	A range of values used to indicate how acidic or basic a substance is; expresses the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution.
soil horizon	A layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it.
topsoil	The crumbly, topmost layer of soil made up of clay and other minerals and humus (nutrients and decaying plant and animal matter).
subsoil	The layer of soil below topsoil that has less plant and animal matter than topsoil and contains mostly clay and other minerals.
decomposer	An organism that gets energy by breaking down wastes and dead organisms, and returns raw materials to the soil and water.
natural resource	Anything naturally occurring in the environment that humans use.
soil conservation	The management of soil to limit its destruction.
crop rotation	The planting of different crops in a field each year to maintain the soil's fertility.
contour plowing	Plowing fields along the curves of a slope to prevent soil loss.
conservation plowing	Soil conservation method in which weeds and dead stalks from the previous year's crop are plowed into the ground.

Created by: vbarazsu001

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