geoscience vocab

mechanical weathering

pysicial breakdown of rocks into smaller pecies without changing their chemical composition

chemical weathering

process where rocks and minerals are broken down, decomposed or alrered theoufh chemical reactions

sheeting/exfoilation

rock layers of rock break away in thin, curved sheets, resemvling onion layers

abrasion

wears rocks surfaces through the friction and impact of particles transported by water, ice, or wind

dissolution

slightly acidic water breaks down and dissolves minerals in rocks into constituent ions

hydrolysis

water reacts with minerals, breaking down their atomic structure to form new minerals

mass wasting

the downslope movement of rock, soil, and debris under the force of gravity

angle of repose

steepest angle at which loose material remians stable without sliding

weathering

the process of breaking down rocks on earths surface

alvial fan

a deposit of sediment formed where a stream leaves a mountian range

deposition

sediment settles and is deposited in a new location

sediemnt

material moved by erosion