1. Weathering and Soil Formation (Chapter 6)

2. The breaking down of rock and other substances at Earth’s surface is ___.

3. weathering

4. Which type of weathering causes the mineral composition of rocks to change?

5. Chemical Weathering

6. What are the most important factors in determining the rate of weathering?

7. Type of rock & Climate

8. What can geologists infer from the rounded, eroded shapes of the Appalachian Mountains?

9. The mountains have been eroding for millions of years.

10. How does ice wedging cause mechanical weathering of rock?

11. Freezing & thawing of water

12. Does weathering occur rapidly or slowly in a hot and wet climate?

13. Rapidly

14. Which agent of mechanical weathering occurs when rock is worn away by the grinding action of other rock particles?

15. Abrasion

16. A rock containing Iron becomes soft and crumbly and reddish-brown in color. Which cause of chemical weathering has taken place?

17. Oxygen

18. Why does permeable rock weather easily?

19. Permeable rock contains many small, connected airspaces which allows water to pass through easily.

20. Why are areas of limestone easily weathered and eroded by groundwater?

21. Water combines with carbon dioxide as it sinks into the ground, creating carbonic acid, which slowly dissolves the limestone.

22. What begins the process of soil formation?

23. Weathering of bedrock

24. Soil that is rich in humus has high___________.

25. Fertility

26. Soil formation would take place most rapidly with the weathering of ______.
granite on a dry mountain top
limestone in a desert
granite in a cold, dry climate
limestone in a warm, wet climate

27. D. limestone in a warm, wet climate

28. Why is soil a valuable natural resource?

29. Soil is important to all living things on land.

30. What are the two “jobs” of living organisms (decomposers) in soil?

31. mix the soil & make humus

32. Earthworms add their wastes to the soil, then they die and decay in the soil. They are contributing to the formation of __________.

33. Humus

34. Which of the following would be found in the “B” horizon?
Very little clay, minerals, and humus
humus only
partially weathered rock
topsoil

35. A. Very little clay, minerals, and humus

36. Plant growth and animal activity result in which type of weathering?

37. Mechanical weathering

38. A marble statue is left exposed to the weather
A marble statue is left exposed to the weather. Within a few years, the details on the statue have begun to weather away. What is the cause?

39. Acid Rain

40. Very little clay & humus Most humus, very fertile Bedrock
Subsoil
Topsoil
Decomposers
O horizon
C horizon
A horizon
B horizon
Litter
Solid layer of rock
Very little clay & humus
Most humus, very fertile
Bedrock
Partly weathered rock
Parent material 1 2 3 4 5

41. Subsoil--3 Topsoil--2 Decomposers--2 O horizon--1 C horizon--4
A horizon--2
B horizon--3
Litter--1
Solid layer of rock--5
Very little clay & humus--3
Most humus, very fertile--1
Bedrock--5
Partly weathered rock--4
Parent material--5 1 2 3 4 5