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WED&L
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Weathering. | The natural process by which atmospheric and environmental agents, such as wind, rain, and temperature changes, disintegrate and decompose rocks. |
| Physical weather. | The mechanical breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces that is caused by natural processes and that does not change the chemical composition of the rock material. |
| Abrasion. | The process by which rock is reduced in size by the scraping action of other rocks driven by water, wind, and gravity. |
| Chemical weathering. | The chemical breakdown and decomposition of rocks by natural processes in the environment. |
| Oxidation. | A chemical reaction in which a material combines with oxygen to form new material; in geology, oxidation is a form of chemical weathering. |
| Acid precipitation. | Precipitation, such as rain, sleet, or snow, that contains a high concentration of acids, often because of the pollution of the atmosphere. |
| Erosion. | The process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another. |
| Deposition. | The process in which material is laid down. (Earth science) The change of state from a gas directly to a solid. (physical science) |
| Floodplain. | An area along a river that forms from sediments deposited when the river overflows its banks. |
| Delta. | A mass of material deposited in a triangular or fan shape at the mouth of a river or stream. |
| Alluvial fan. | A fan-shaped mass of rock material deposited by a stream when the slope of the land decreases sharply. |
| Groundwater. | The water that is beneath Earth's surface. |
| Shoreline. | The boundary between land and a body of water. |
| Beach. | An area of the shoreline that is made up of deposited sediment. |
| Sandbar. | A low ridge of sand deposited along the shore of a lake or sea. |
| Barrier island. | A long ridge of sand or narrow island that lies parallel to the shore. |
| Dune. | A mound of wind-deposited sand that moves as a result of the action of wind. |
| Loess. | Fine-grained sediments of quartz, feldspar, hornblende, mica, and clay deposited by the wind. |
| Glacier. | A large mass of ice that exists year-round and moves over land. |
| Glacial drift. | The rock material carried and deposited by glaciers. |
| Creep. | The slow downhill movement of weathered rock material. |
| Rockfall. | The rapid mass movement of rock down a steep slope or cliff. |
| Landslide. | The sudden movement of rock and soil down a slope. |
| Mudflow. | The flow of a mass of mud or rock and soil mixed with a large amount of water. |
| Mountain. | An area of significantly increased elevation on Earth's surface, usually rising to a summit. |
| Lake. | A filled or partially filled basin of fresh or salt water surrounded by land. |
| River. | A large natural stream of water that flows across land surfaces within a channel. |
| Coastline. | A location where land and ocean surface meet. |