Weathering, Soil, and Groundwater Vocabulary

erosion

the transport of rocks or other substances by different agents (water, wind, ice)

mechanical weathering

breaking material into smaller pieces without changing the original composition of the material. no change in chemical structure

surface area

determine the area (base x height) of each side and add them up

frost wedging

(mw) water works its way into the rocks, and upon freezing, expands and breaks rocks into smaller pieces

chemical weathering

the decomposition of substances into new substances through a chemical reaction

hydrolysis

(cw) hydrogen reacts with certain minerals, resulting in alteration, and dissolves some minerals completely

oxidation

(cw) oxygen reacts with certain elements resulting in alteration

carbonic acid

CO2 mixes with rain, making it slightly acidic, natural

sulfuric acid

sulfur emitted by industries mix with water can dissolve rocks and minerals

acid rain

sulfer in the air sticks to rain, making it acidic

humus

dead stuff and soil

porosity

amount of space between grains compared to the total value

permeability

how fast water moves through a substance

pore space

amount of space between grains

capillary water

water stuck between grains

water table

the tope of the zone of saturation

aquifer

permeable materials that contain and carry groundwater

aquiclude

impermeable materials, water cannot travel through

zone of saturation

the part of the ground where all pore spaces are filled with water

zone of aeration

area from the water table to the ground surface where the pores are filled with air `

cone of depression

around wells that are sucking up water - water table goes down

subsidence

when the ground surface goes down because pore space collapses

hydraulic gradient

slope of the water table

hydraulic conductivity

permeability

point source pollution

pollution that comes from one specific location

non - point source pollution

comes from many places

darcy’s law

equation used to measure groundwater movement