Geology Terms: Mass Wasting, Soil Formation, and Weathering Processes, Quizzes of Geology

Download Geology Terms: Mass Wasting, Soil Formation, and Weathering Processes and more Quizzes Geology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 mass wasting DEFINITION 1 All the processes by which weathered and unweathered Earth materials move downslope in large amounts and in large single events, usually under the influence of gravity. TERM 2 kaolinite DEFINITION 2 A white to cream-colored clay produced by the weathering of feldspar. TERM 3 hematite DEFINITION 3 The principal iron ore; the most abundant iron oxide at Earth's surface. TERM 4 chemical stability DEFINITION 4 A measure of a substance's tendency to retain its chemical identity rather than reacting spontaneously to become a different chemical substance. TERM 5 frost wedging DEFINITION 5 A physical weathering process in which the expansion of freezing water in cracks in rock breaks the rock. TERM 6 exfoliation DEFINITION 6 A physical weathering process in which large flat or curved sheets of rock are detached from an outcrop. TERM 7 soil DEFINITION 7 An intricate combination of weathered rock and organic material. TERM 8 humus DEFINITION 8 An organic component of soil consisting of the remains and waste products of the many organisms living in that soil. TERM 9 soil profile DEFINITION 9 The composition and appearance of a soil, usually characterized by distinct layers. TERM 10 mass movement DEFINITION 10 A downslope movement of masses of soil, rock, mud, or other materials under the force of gravity.