Erosion Flashcards
(28 cards)
erosion
In earth science, erosion is the action of surface processes that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth’s crust, and then transport it away to another location
weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soil, and minerals as well as wood and artificial materials through contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, waters, and biological organisms
water cycle
The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle or the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.
evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs from the surface of a liquid into a gaseous phase that is not saturated with the evaporating substance
condensation
Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gas phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of evaporation. The word most often refers to the water cycle
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, graupel and hail
percolation
Percolation is the process of a liquid slowly passing through a filter. It’s how coffee is usually made. Percolation comes from the Latin word percolare, which means “to strain through.” Percolation happens when liquid is strained through a filter, like when someone makes coffee.
runoff
Definition of runoff for English Language Learners. : an additional race, contest, or election that is held because an earlier one has not resulted in a winner. : water from rain or snow that flows over the surface of the ground into streams.
tributary
a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake.
watershed
an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.
continental divide
The Continental Divide of the Americas is the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas
deposition
the action of deposing someone, especially a monarch.
delta
a nearly flat plain of alluvial deposit between diverging branches of the mouth of a river, often, though not necessarily, triangular: the Nile delta. 7. (usually initial capital letter) a word used in communications to represent the letter D
alluvial fan
An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms
floodplain
A floodplain or flood plain is an area of land adjacent to a stream or river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.
water table
The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with water.
sewage treatment plants
Sewage treatment is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater, primarily from household sewage. Physical, chemical, and biological processes are used to remove contaminants and produce treated wastewater that is safer for the environment.
septic tank
A septic tank is a chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, PVC or plastic, through which domestic wastewater flows for primary treatment. Settling and anaerobic processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment is only moderate
sea stacks
a chimney, especially one on a factory, or a vertical exhaust pipe on a vehicle.
sea arches
A sea arch is a natural opening eroded out of a cliff face by marine processes. Some arches appear to have developed from surge channels, which are created by wave refraction causing the focussing of wave fronts on the side of a headland.
sea caves
A sea cave, also known as a littoral cave, is a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion
wave-cut terraces
A wave-cut platform, coastal benches, or wave-cut benches is the narrow flat area often found at the base of a sea cliff or along the shoreline of a lake, bay, or sea that was created by the weathering of land.
headlands
a narrow piece of land that projects from a coastline into the sea.
beach
a pebbly or sandy shore, especially by the ocean between high- and low-water marks.