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Movements
Review: Weathering
Weathering produces rock fragments (sediments)
Sediments range in size from huge boulders to microscopic
particles
Oxygen:
Oxidation: the chemical reaction of oxygen
with another substance
~21% of Earths atmosphere is oxygen gas
Example: Iron & oxygen create iron oxide
(rust)
Chemical Weathering: Effects of CO2
Carbon Dioxide:
Carbon Dioxide gas occurs
naturally in the atmosphere as a
product of living organisms
When carbon dioxide combines
with water in the atmosphere, it
forms a very weak acid called
carbonic acid
This can dissolve minerals like
calcite that is found in marble and
limestone
Chemical Weathering: Effects of Acid Precipitation
Acid Precipitation:
Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen
oxides released into the
atmosphere by human
activities can also cause
acid precipitation.
Can slowly dissolve
minerals in rocks, be
harmful to many
organisms, and destructive
to human-made structures
Rate of Weathering
The Natural weathering of Earth materials occurs slowly
It can take 2000 years to weather 1 cm of limestone
Climate
The interaction between temperature and precipitation in a given climate
determines the rate of weathering
Chemical weathering is rapid in climate with warm temperatures, abundant
rainfall and lush vegetation
Physical weathering is more rapid in cool climates. Physical weathering rates
are highest in areas where water in cracks undergoes repeated freezing and
thawing.
Rate of Weathering: Surface Area
Mechanical weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces. As the
pieces get smaller, the surface area increases. When this happens,
there is more total surface area available for chemical weathering.
Weathering has more of an effect on smaller particles (with more
surface area)
Erosion
Erosion: the removal
and transport of
sediment
Wind:
Can only move small grains
Glaciers:
Move all materials with equal ease
Dumps materials in unsorted piles as the glacier melts
Deposits similar to landslides
How do you start describing the
soil?
Subsoil
Parent Material
A Horizon
B Horizon
C Horizon
Factors of Soil Formation
Various factors can affect soil formation and product different types
of soil, called soil orders.
1) Climate:
Most significant factor
Dry, arid climate vs. tropical determine
the minerals present in the B-horizon
Heavy rainfall intensely weathers soils
where lots of minerals have been
flushed out
Factors of Soil Formation
2) Topography:
Slope and orientation of land
On steep slopes, weathered rock is carried downhill
Hillsides tend to have shallow soils while valleys and flat areas have thicker soils with
more organic material
Slopes that are oriented towards the sun receive extra sunlight allows more
vegetation to grow
Slopes without vegetation tend to lose more soil to erosion
3) Parent Material:
The texture and composition of soil depend partly on the parent rock
Residual vs. Transported soil
Factors of Soil Formation
4) Biological Organisms:
Organism including fungi, bacteria as well as plants and animal interact with
soil
Microorganisms decompose dead plants and animals
Different types of biological organisms in a soil can result in different soil
orders
5) Time:
New soils are often found along rivers where sediment is being deposited
After tens of thousands of years of weathering, more of the original minerals
in a soil are changed or washed away
Soil Texture
Particles of soil are classified according
to size as clay, silt, sand, with clay being
the smallest and sand being the largest.
Soil texts affects is capacity to retain
moisture and therefore its ability to
support plant growth
Example: Soil that is very sandy holds
water easily, but dries out quickly
Texture can vary with depth
Soil Fertility
Soil Fertility: The measure of how well a
soil can support the growth of plant
Determined by:
Topography
Availability of minerals and nutrients
Number of microorganisms present
Amount of precipitation
Level of acidity
Soil Color
The minerals, organic matter, and moisture in each soil horizon determine its color
Mass Movements occur when the forces pulling material downslope are stronger
than the materials resistance to sliding, flowing, or falling
Types of Mass Movements
1) Creep: slow, steady, downhill flow of
loose, weathered Earth materials,
especially soils
Movement might be as little as a
few centimeters per year
Usually noticeable only over long
periods of time
Observe the positions of structures
and objects over time to tell if
creep has occurred
Creep can cause once-vertical utility
poles and fences to tilt, and trees and
walls to break
Types of Mass Movements
2) Flows: materials have been saturated with water and flows as if they were
a thick layer
Can flow a few centimeters per year to hundred of
kilometers per hour