14.1 Weathering

Front

What is the process by which lichens and mosses produce natural acids that break down minerals in rocks?

Back

Organic acids.

Front

What is the term for the process where rocks break into fragments due to animal burrowing and plant root growth?

Back

Organic activity.

Front

What type of mechanical weathering is caused by gravity, running water, and wind?

Back

Abrasion.

Front

True or False: Temperatures and pressures are higher deep within the Earth than at the Earth's surface.

Back

True.

Front

What is the process called when carbon dioxide gas combines with water to form carbonic acid that reacts with minerals in rocks?

Back

Carbonation.

Front

Define weathering in the context of geology.

Back

Weathering is the process of breaking down rocks and minerals through physical, chemical, and biological means.

Front

What are the two main types of weathering?

Back

Mechanical (physical) weathering and chemical weathering.

Front

Give an example of mechanical weathering.

Back

Frost wedging, where water freezes in cracks of rocks and expands, causing the rock to break.

Front

What role do plant roots play in weathering?

Back

Plant roots can grow into cracks in rocks, exerting pressure and causing the rocks to break apart.

Front

What is chemical weathering?

Back

Chemical weathering involves the chemical alteration of minerals in rocks, often through reactions with water, acids, or gases.