Science: Earth and Space Abeka Chapter 4 Test Review

Describe ice wedging

physical weathering that occurs when rainwater or melted ice soaks into tiny cracks in a rock and freezes, splitting the rock

exfoliation

the breaking or peeling away of rocks into layers

talus

rock fragments at the bottom of the mountain

carbonic acid

a very weak acid formed in solution when carbon dioxide dissolves in water.

Oxidation

process in which oxygen reacts to other minerals by making compounds

Erosion

the carrying away of rock fragments

Headwaters

The source of a river

load

the materials carried by a stream

drainage system

a relatively large stream and any smaller streams that flow into it

Tribituaries

the streams and smaller rivers that feed into a main river

oxbow lake

a crescent-shaped lake (often temporary) that is formed when a meander of a river is cut off from the main channel

Delta

triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of some rivers

cavern

a large cave

dripstone

calcium carbonate deposited by water droplets

sinkhole

a circular depression formed when the roof of a cave collapses

Karst

A type of landscape in rainy regions where there is limestone near the surface, characterized by caverns, sinkholes, and valleys

bar

an offshore ridge of sand or gravel built by waves and currents

barrier island

a long ridge of sand or narrow island that lies parallel to the shore

sea arch

narrow formation of rock that arches out into the water from the coast

sea stack

a column of rock remaining after the collapse of a sea arch

glacier

a thick sheet of ice that moves slowly under its own weight

ice cap

an ice sheet that covers a large glacier but is smaller than a continental glacier

crevasse

A deep crack or fissure in the ice of a glacier.

cirque

A huge bowl-shaped depression dug out by a valley glacier.

arete

sharps ridges that divide two cirques

horn

a pointed mountain peak surrounded by at least three cirques

fjord

valley along the coastline thats filled with melted water of a glacier

till

huge quantities of broken rock that a half-melted glacier carries

Moraine

accumulation of till left by a retreating glacier

drumlin

a low hill formed when a glacier overruns a moraine

outwash

deposits of sand, gravel, and other sediments that are washed out from beneath a glacier as the glacier melts

eolian process

any type of erosion caused by wind

sandstorm

a windstorm that accumulates sand; occurs in desert regions

dust storm

A condition in which strong winds carry dust over a large area, usually during drought conditions.

abrasion

the eroding action of windblown sand

terracing

a method used to prevent erosion by modifying a smooth slope into a series of levels

strip cropping

methos of erosion prevention by plnting alternating strips of erosion-prone crops

breakwaters

objects designed to reduce impact of waves

runoff

the water from rain that the ground cannot absorb.

gullying

the process in which running water carves a channel in the ground that cannot be repaired by ordinary cultivation

Eastern Continental and Great Divide

the eastern and western drainage divides of the Mississippi River drainage basin

levees

the natural ridges along a river's edge

meander

the winding, looping curves of a river

beach

a gently sloping shoreline covered by sand or pebbles

Ice Age

the period of widesread glaciation

deflation

the most important effect of wind erosion

Crescentic, parabolic, transverse, star

four sand dune types

Compare physical and chemical weathering physical- breakdown from larger rocks to smaller rocks

chemical- changes the composition if the rock

Compare physical and chemical weathering

basin-region drained by a drainage system

divide- a geographic boundary that separates two drainage systems

explain the difference between a drainage basin and a drainage divide

delta- a triangular shaped area of land at the end of a river; drops off sediments; empties into a sea

alluvial fan- a fan-shaped mass of material deposited by a stream when the slope of the land decreases sharply

compare deltas and alluvial fans

stalagtite- dripstone formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave

stalagmite- dripstone formation that forms on the ground with calcium carbonate

column- occurs when a stalagtite and a stalagmite meet

contrast stalagtite, stalagmites, and columns

promontory-land that projects into the sea

sea cliff- waves erode the base of the promontory

sea cave- waves make an indention in soft rock

sea arch- happens the same way as caves nut causes the indention to go all the way through

sea stack- happens when a sea arch collapses

describe the erosion caused features found along rocky coasts

continental-covers alot of flat land

valley- like a river of ice flowing downhill

compare continental and valley glaciers

deflation

removal of sand or soil by the wind

crescentic-points of the dune face away from the wind

parabolic-points of dune face toward the wind

Both crescentic and parabolic dunes have a U shape. How can these two dunes be told apart?

soil creep- slow movement of soil or rock

mudflow- rapid movement of loose, water-saturated soil

avalaunche- mass of ice or snow flowing from mountain

landslide- sudden slides of huge masses

rockfall-rocks or small peices of land fall off a mountain

Describe the types of mass wasting.