Aarderijkskunde

Summary of the Glossary of Terms

1. Mountains

• Formation: Mountains grow through tectonic processes and the movement of Earth's crust; some parts rise (e.g., ocean floor) while others erode.

• Disappearance: Erosion and weathering lead to the disappearance of mountains.

2. Weathering and Erosion

• Definition of Weathering: Breakdown of rocks due to weather and biological activity.

  • Mechanical Weathering: Rocks crumble without changing composition.

  • Chemical Weathering: Composition changes due to oxygen and moisture.

• Erosion: Wear down of land by water, wind, or ice.

• Mass Movement: Downward movement of rock due to gravity.

3. Rock Transformation

• Sediment Formation: Rocks transform as they move from mountain areas to seas; sand formed by weathering is transported by water.

• Dunes: Created where wind accumulates sand.

4. Glossary of Terms

• Granite: Igneous rock with a speckled pattern.

• High Mountain Range: 1500+ meters above sea level.

• Hill: 200-500 meters above sea level.

• Igneous Rock: Formed from solidified magma.

• Low Mountain Range: 500-1500 meters above sea level.

• Lowland: Below 200 meters above sea level.

• Chemical Weathering: Changes rock composition from oxygen and moisture.

• Limestone: Derived from marine life remains.

• Mechanical Weathering: Rock breaks without composition change.

• Relief: Differences in land elevation.

• Weathering: Breakdown of rock by environmental factors.

• Clay: Small grains formed by weathering.

• Erosion: Wearing down of land surfaces.

• Mass Movement: Rock movement down a slope due to gravity.

• River Gravel: Rounded stones shaped by river water.

• Sand: Small weathered rock grains.

• Upper Course: River source located in mountains.

• Beach: Area where sand accumulates at land-water border.

• Delta: New land formed by sediment deposition at a river mouth.

• Dune: Sand mound formed by wind action.

• Lower Course: Lowest part of a river, near the sea.

• Middle Course: River segment between upper and lower courses.

• Plain: Flat land below 500 meters.

• Sandbank: Shallow area in the sea.

• Sandstone: Sedimentary rock formed from compressed sand.

• Sedimentary Rock: Formed from compressed sediments.

• Sedimentation: Process of retaining crumbled rock.

• Shale: Sedimentary rock formed from compressed clay.