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Geography > Surface Forces That Shape Earth > Flashcards

Surface Forces That Shape Earth Flashcards

1
Q

What forces worn the earth away

A

Wind, rain, frost and waves

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2
Q

give examples of natural processes that shape all natural landforms

A
  • Rivers carve out valleys and in some places, they leave fertile mud over wide areas.
  • The action of waves produces cliffs and beaches along the coast.
  • Water and ice break up rocks in high areas, creating pointed mountain peaks.
  • In very cold climates, thick layers of ice move over the land, carving deep valleys with steep sides.
  • Winds blow sand across deserts, producing sand dunes and sand-carved rocks.
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3
Q

how do people contribute to the shape of the land?

A

by building settlements, mining rocks, and farming.

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4
Q

define weathering

A

wearing away of rocks and soil by the action of the weather

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5
Q

define agents

A

natural forces that cause an effect or result

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6
Q

what does weathering affect

A

the shape and composition of rocks and soil

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7
Q

what are the most important agents of weathering

A

temperature and water

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8
Q

what are the three main types of weathering

A
  1. Physical weathering
  2. Chemical weathering
  3. Biological weathering
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9
Q

what are the causes of physical weathering

A

physical forces such as frost and temperature changes

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10
Q

what are the causes of chemical weathering

A

chemical changes that weaken rocks

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11
Q

what are the causes of biological weathering

A

the action of plants and animals

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12
Q

Compared to a human lifetime, weathering is a slow process. weathering can cause many changes to a landscape

A
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13
Q

define exfoliation

A

the removal of the outer layers of a rock after repeated contraction and expansion

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14
Q

what are two examples of physical weathering

A

freeze thaw action and exfoliation

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15
Q

when does freeze-thaw happen

A

when water collects in cracks in rocks.
(some cracks may be very small and only contain a few drops of water. other cracks may be much bigger)

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16
Q

what happens when water freezes

A

it expands. as the water turns into ice it increases its volume and puts pressure on the sides of the cracks

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17
Q

go through diagram on free-thaw action on pg 57

A
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18
Q

what do big temperature changes during the day and night cause

A

the outer layers of rocks to expand in the heat of the day and contract with the cooler night.
the constant expanding and contracting weakens the outer layers of rocks; large pieces can ‘peel’ off the outer surface.

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19
Q

Define dissolved

A

Has become part of a liquid solution

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20
Q

Define insoluble

A

Does not dissolve in water

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21
Q

Define soluble

A

Dissolves in water

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22
Q

How can underground caves form

A

When carbonic acid attacks and dissolves away rocks under the ground.

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23
Q

What does chemical weathering change

A

The chemical composition of rocks. It weakens rocks, causing them to break up

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24
Q

Give three examples of chemical weathering

A

Carbonation
Hydrolysis
Oxidation

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25
Q

Read through carbonation on pg 58

A
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26
Q

Where does oxidation occur

A

To rocks and objects that contain iron

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27
Q

How can we see oxidation

A

As rust, on metals that have been left in the rain

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28
Q

What colour are oxidation stains

A

Red

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29
Q

How does iron oxide form

A

Water contains oxygen that mixes with the iron content of rocks to form iron oxide

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30
Q

What does oxidation change

A

The chemical structure of the rock, making it weaker and more easy broken down

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31
Q

What is hydrolysis

A

A sequence of chemical reactions that involve water, and minerals called silicates

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32
Q

Where are silicates present

A

In many different kinds of rock including sandstone and granite

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33
Q

What do certain silicate minerals do

A

Absorb water and change into clay

34
Q

Read through pg 59

A
35
Q

Define biological

A

To do with living things

36
Q

Define lichens

A

Small plant organisms made up of algae and fingi which live together

37
Q

What does biological weathering involve

A

Weathering caused by plants, animals and people

38
Q

How can grasses and other plants cause weathering

A

Read through pg 60

39
Q

Read through pg 61

A
40
Q

What is weathering

A

The breaking down of rocks and soil by the action of the weather. There is very little movement other than loose material falling under the force of gravity. We have seen that weathering attacks rocks and soil in a number of ways

41
Q

What is erosion

A

Always involves movement whereas weathering happens in one place.

42
Q

What are the three agents of erosion

A

Water, wind and ice

43
Q

Define yardangs

A

Long ridges carved by wind erosion

44
Q

Where is wind erosion most obvious

A

Places where there is little vegetation cover, such as the desert and semi-deserts

45
Q

what is soil erosion caused by

A

a combination of human activity and natural processes

46
Q

define overstocking

A

too many animals than the land can support

47
Q

define over-grazing

A

keeping more animals than the land can support

48
Q

what does over-grazing result in

A

large areas of soil being exposed to erosion. the removal of plants means that there are fewer roots to hold the soil together. the soil is more easily washed away or blown away

49
Q

define monoculture

A

growing one kind of crop in a field, year after year

50
Q

define crop rotation

A

growing different crops in a sequence that benefits the soil

51
Q

what machines do farmers use

A

ploughs, seed planters, crop sprayers, harvesters and weeding machines

52
Q

what happens when farmers plough the land

A

they break up and loosen the soil and create long channels called furrows. in dry climates plowing causes the soil to lose its water content and it is more easily blown away. in wetter climates, the plowed furrows can act as water channels, especially if the fields are on a slope. Water can wash the soil down the furrows and deposit it at the base of the slope.

53
Q

read though monoculture on pg 78

A
54
Q

how does construction contribute to soil erosion

A

road building and the construction of buildings require large areas of vegetation to be cleared. this exposes the soil to erosion. solid may also be removed, or covered with concrete and other building materials

55
Q

how does mining contribute to soil erosion

A

surface mining, such as open-cast cal and iron ore mines exposes the rocks for mining by removing all the vegetation and soil from above the rocks. the soil may be pushed into large mounds. dust and chemicals from the mine may pollute the soil

56
Q

define soil erosion

A

a process of soil being removed from the land

57
Q

define agriculture

A

growing crops on the land, or raising animals

58
Q

define deforestation

A

removing trees from the land

59
Q

when does soil erosion become a problem

A

when more soil is eroded than is repleaced by natural soil-formig processes

60
Q

what is the main contributor to soil erosion

A

agriculture

61
Q

what also contributes to soil erosion

A

industry, deforestation and construction also contribute to soil erosion

62
Q

how does agriculture contribute to soil erosion

A

removing natural vegetation and ploughing the land weakens the soil making it more easily washed or blow away. animals also contribute to soil erosion by breaking up the soil with their feet. if too many animals are kept in one place they can eat all the plants and expose bare soil to erosion.

63
Q

what is the most common kind of deposition feature in the desert

A

sand dunes

64
Q

read through pg 75

A
65
Q

what are the three kinds of sand dunes

A

barchans, sief dunes, transverse dunes

66
Q

define glacier

A

a mass of ice that moves slowly downhill

67
Q

define abrasion

A

wearing away by friction– grinding and rubbing

68
Q

define bar

A

a ridge of sand which joins two headlands

69
Q

define soil erosion

A

a process of soil being removed from the land

70
Q

define agriculture

A

growing crops on the land, or raising animals

71
Q

define deforestation

A

removing trees from the land

72
Q

when does soil erosion become a problem

A

when more soil is eroded than is replaced by natural soil-forming processes

73
Q

what is the main contributor to soil erosion

A

agriculture

74
Q

how can human activities affect soil erosion

A

human activities can remove thousands of tons of soil from the land in a few years. human activities disturb the soil and then natural processes of erosion, mainly wind and water, remove the soil

75
Q

name other contributors to soil erosion

A

industry, deforestation and construction

76
Q

read through how each industry contributes to soil erosion on pg 76-77

A
77
Q

define monoculture

A

growing one kind of crop in a field, year after year

78
Q

define crop rotation

A

growing different crops in a sequence that benefits the soil

79
Q

read through pg 78-79

A
80
Q

define overstocking

A

too many animals on a single piece of land

81
Q

define over-grazing

A

keeping more animals than the land can support

Geography (4 decks)

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