Name:________________________________________
Weathering and Soil
Date:____________________________
Chapter 2 pages 34-55
Lesson 1 Rocks and Weathering
EQ: What breaks down rocks?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Natural processes ________________________________________________________________________________.
2. The principle of uniformitarianism states that ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________.
3. Erosion includes the ______________________________________________________, and also involves the
removal of rock particles by _____________________________________________________________________.
4. __________________________________________________________________________ and _______________ all
contribute to weathering.
EQ: What causes weathering?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Mechanical weathering- ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________ is the agent of mechanical weathering in which rock is worn away
by other rock particles carried by _________________________________________________________________.
7. The __________________________ and __________________________ of water in the process of frost wedging
causes mechanical weathering.
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Chemical weathering- _____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________.
9. Oxidation- a process in which _________________ combines with oxygen in the presence of ___________________,
producing _____________________.
10. In chemical weathering, plant roots produce ____________________________________________ that dissolve rock.
11. Carbon dioxide dissolved in water produces a weak acid- _____________________________________- easily
weathers rocks such as ________________________________________________________________.
EQ: How fast does weathering occur?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Rocks that are ______________________________ weather more easily because the tiny, connected air spaces allow
water to seep through them.
13. Some kinds of rocks __________________________ more rapidly than others:
weathering occurs faster in climates that are ____________ and ____________.
weathering would occur more slowly in climates that are ___________ and ___________.
Lesson 2 How Soil Forms
EQ: What is soil?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Soil- ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________- the solid layer of rock beneath the soil.
3. The decayed organic material in soil- _______________________- _________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Soil that is rich in humus generally has ____________________________ fertility.
5. The best soil for growing most plants- ________________________
6. The pH scale measures __________________________________.
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Soil forms constantly wherever ______________________________________________________________________.
8. Scientists classify soil into 3 _______________________________:
A Horizon- _________________ - mixture of __________________, clay, and other minerals.
B Horizon- _________________ -clay and particles of ______________, but little humus.
C Horizon -bedrock begins to ______________________, rock breaks in small _____________________.
EQ: How do living things affect soil?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
9. _________________________________-break down the remains of dead organisms.
10. Soil decomposers include _______________________, _________________________, worms, and other organisms.
11. _____________________________________ and burrowing mammals mix humus with air and other materials in soil.
Lesson 3 Soil Conservation
EQ: How can soil lose its value?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
12. In the 1930s an area in the Great Plains states became known as the _______________________________, because
the topsoil turned into dust.
13. Natural resource- ________________________________________________________________________________.
14. ___________________ is one of Earth’s most valuable natural resources.
15. Fertile soil is valuable because there is a _____________________________________________________________.
EQ: How can soil be conserved?
~___________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
16. _______________________________________________ -is the management of soil to limit its destruction.
17. Crop rotation- ___________________________________________________________________________________
Ex: __________________________ restore nutrients to the soil.
18. Plowing to conserve soil:
_____________________________________ -fields are plowed along curves of a slope instead of in straight rows.
_____________________________________ -previous year’s crop is plowed into the ground to return nutrients.