Geology and Hydrology Terms: Weathering, Aquifers, Contamination, and Soil, Quizzes of Geology

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TERM 1 Weathering DEFINITION 1 break down of rocks exposed to earth's surface TERM 2 erosion DEFINITION 2 transport of rock particles at earth's surface TERM 3 chemical weathering DEFINITION 3 chemical alteration of the materials in a rock to new minerals that are stable in earth's surface conditionsspeeds up mechanical weathering because it creates new minerals that are mechanically weaker TERM 4 mechanical weathering DEFINITION 4 physical breakup of the rock into smaller peices. creates more surface area and speeds up chemical weathering because it allows more SA for chemical to penetrate TERM 5 2 most important chemicals in chemical weathering DEFINITION 5 O2 and H20 TERM 6 hydrolysis DEFINITION 6 absorption of water into a mineral TERM 7 oxidation of minerals DEFINITION 7 add oxygen to a mineral TERM 8 ways a rock can be mechanically weathered DEFINITION 8 1) presure release: remove weight => rock expands "half done"2) frost wedging: expansion of water as it freezes3) plant roots: force fractures open4) sand blasting: by water or wind TERM 9 2 examples of how weathering can damage buildings DEFINITION 9 weathering of rock TERM 10 reservior DEFINITION 10 a place which something is stored TERM 21 physics and water DEFINITION 21 water flows downhill- but takes time (resistance)- sticks to things on the way (surface tention)- leads to irregular flow rates and paths TERM 22 water table DEFINITION 22 top of the area that is 100% saturated TERM 23 why does water exist above the water table DEFINITION 23 when it rains it takes time for water to move to the water table- not going to go down because it is wetting materials TERM 24 capillary fringe DEFINITION 24 surface tention that attracts water above the water table TERM 25 Darcy's law DEFINITION 25 rate of groundwater flow is proportional ot the slope of the water table TERM 26 hydraulic conductivity DEFINITION 26 ability of material to allow water to pass through it- a property of the material TERM 27 geologic heterogeneity DEFINITION 27 highly irregularcomplex aquifer geometry TERM 28 aquifer DEFINITION 28 geologic unit with sufficient permebility to efficiently transmit water (for human use)water flows 1-100 cm/day TERM 29 aquitard DEFINITION 29 geologic unit that can not efficiently transmit water TERM 30 aquiclude DEFINITION 30 impermeable geologic unit TERM 31 aquifer components DEFINITION 31 sandstone, limestone, fractured rocks, sand, caves, gravel TERM 32 aquitard components DEFINITION 32 clay chale unfractured ingneous/ metamorphic rocks TERM 33 unconfined aquifer DEFINITION 33 open pathway to the land surface TERM 34 confined aquifer DEFINITION 34 separate from eachother and the surface surrounded by aquitards TERM 35 artesian well DEFINITION 35 poke a hole into a confined aquifer and water rushes out TERM 46 accidental spills DEFINITION 46 1) surface stocksiles2) leaking storage tanks, pipelines3) industrial accidents4) transportation accidents TERM 47 Clean water act DEFINITION 47 treatment of municipal waste TERM 48 Safe drinking water act DEFINITION 48 standards of water maximum chemicals that can be dissolved in water TERM 49 resource conservation and recovery act DEFINITION 49 track our chemicals and make a list TERM 50 Superfund DEFINITION 50 fund to clean up sites TERM 51 intentional spills DEFINITION 51 1) pesticides2) fertilizers3) animal wastes4) road salts5) road asphault TERM 52 changing flow of dirty water DEFINITION 52 - pumping- connecting reservoirs TERM 53 aqueous phase contaminant transport DEFINITION 53 transport of chemicals dissolved in the water TERM 54 advection DEFINITION 54 transport of the contaminant by water flow creates a contaminant plume TERM 55 contaminant plume DEFINITION 55 map where the contaminant is. looks like a feather TERM 56 what does hydrodynamic dispersion do to the plume DEFINITION 56 more spread out farther from the source TERM 57 chemical diffusion DEFINITION 57 spreading out of chemical from point of most to least concentration TERM 58 mechanical dispersion DEFINITION 58 can take different pathways between sand particles TERM 59 what does geologic heterogeneity do to the plume DEFINITION 59 contaminate flow faster where water flows fasterchanges the shape of plumes TERM 60 ways to stop contaminants DEFINITION 60 aquitard- clay shale unfractured ingeous rocksabsorption- electrochemical attachement to minerals such as clay TERM 71 consolidated DEFINITION 71 physically attached rock TERM 72 leaching DEFINITION 72 percolating water dissolving and removing material- changes chemistry of soil- changes chemistry of water TERM 73 what destroys soil DEFINITION 73 1) removal by erosion2) burial by sedimentation TERM 74 Layer A DEFINITION 74 zone of leaching- organic material- low solubility materials (quartz, some clay)- black at top (organics) sometimes white TERM 75 Layer B DEFINITION 75 Zone of accumulation- FE AL Oxides - usually clay - sometimes soluble minerals if in dry environment- rust color (FE) = lots of leachingsometimes white= evaporation TERM 76 Layer C DEFINITION 76 unweathered rock or sedimentweakly weathered paretn material, little leaching or accumulation TERM 77 5 factors that affect the type of soil created DEFINITION 77 1) time2) parent material3) organic growth and decomposition4) topographic relief (stepness of land)5) climate (most important) TERM 78 ultisol DEFINITION 78 - most common soil in virginia- red clay soils- strongly leached ("ultimate")- poor fertility (need lime, fertilize)- no ca; acidic- southeast usa most of va- due to wet climate TERM 79 alfisol DEFINITION 79 moderately leached- some ca; mildly acidic- some FE AL oxides - some clay accumulation in "B" fertiletop of VA. In US west and north of vadue to moist climate, forest TERM 80 inceptisol soil DEFINITION 80 - weakly leached (inception)- no clay/fe in B- weakly developed horizonsin mountains- due to short time and wet climate TERM 81 entisol soil DEFINITION 81 underdeveloped soil- no leachingno horizons exept Ain river vallies and coasts of USAdue to rapid sedimentation or erosion TERM 82 histosol DEFINITION 82 muckorganic dominated soilsin tide water, gulf costs and far north usdue to bog or swamp TERM 83 clay minerals DEFINITION 83 - microscopic, flat crystals- created by weathering- electrically negative mineral surface - attachs with cations - attaches to water