click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Unit 8
Weathering,Erosion,Deposition and Landforms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weathering | The natural process by which atmosphere and environmental agents, such as wind, rain, and temperature changes, disintegrate and decompose rocks. |
| Physical Weathering | The mechanical breakdown of rock 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, sleek, or snow, that contains a high concentration of acid, 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 steam. |
| Alluvial Fan | A fan-shaped mass of rock material deposited by a steam 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 |