Weathering, Erosion and Soil Study Guide
Modified True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word
or phrase to make the sentence or statement true.
1. Frost wedging is an example of erosion. _________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: F,weathering
2. Water, carbon dioxide, and acids are significant agents of physical weathering.
_________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: F,chemical weathering
3. To some extent, the density of rocks determines the effects that chemical weathering will
have on them. _________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: F,composition
4. Without gravity, glaciers would not move downslope and streams would not flow.
_________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: T
5. The parent bedrock determines what kinds of minerals a soil will contain.
_________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: T
6. The addition of compost, organic mulch, and peat moss to soil helps to maintain its
acidity. _________________________
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: F,fertility
Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
7. Most of the weathering of Cleopatra’s Needle is caused by ____.
a. hydrolysis c. oxidation
b. chemical weathering d. frost wedging
B
ANSWER:
8. In which of the following climates would chemical weathering most readily occur?
a. wet and warm c. wet and cool
b. dry and warm d. dry and cool
A
ANSWER:
9. Barrier islands are formed when ____.
a. the ocean floor is uplifted
b. the wind continuously blows sand out to sea
c. sand is repeatedly picked up, moved, and deposited by ocean currents
d. sand bars are worn away
C
ANSWER:
10. Which of the following has the potential for the most erosion?
a. water flowing across a flatland
b. wind blowing materials in the air, against the force of gravity
c. wind blowing materials down a slope
d. water flowing down a steep slope
D
ANSWER:
11. What is one source of organic matter in soil?
a. acid precipitation c. weathered topsoil
b. dead fungi, bacteria, and protozoa d. eroding bedrock
B
ANSWER:
12. Of the three soil samples shown below, Sample 1, the darkest and richest, would be
found in ____ of a typical soil profile.
a. horizon A c. horizon C
b. horizon B d. the hardpan
A
ANSWER:
13. Which of the following characteristics of water can be responsible for mechanical
weathering?
a. Water flows downstream under gravity.
b. Water expands when it freezes.
c. Water combines with atmospheric gases to form acid rain.
d. Water reacts with and can dissolve many kinds of minerals.
B
ANSWER:
14. In which of the following areas is wind a major erosional agent?
a. grasslands c. deserts
b. temperate forests d. tropical rain forests
C
ANSWER:
15. Which of the following statements is NOT true of soil?
a. It is a loose covering of broken rock particles and decaying organic
matter.
b. There is one kind of soil in the United States.
c. Living organisms add nutrients to it.
d. It takes a long time to form.
B
ANSWER:
16. Which of the following could increase the rate of chemical weathering of a rock?
a. moving it to a location with few plants and animals
b. moving it to a drier climate
c. increasing its total surface area
d. moving it to a colder climate
C
ANSWER:
17. Which of the following happens when a river enters a large body of water?
a. The river water slows down and deposits large amounts of sediments.
b. The river water increases its speed and carries out gully erosion.
c. The river water flows over the delta, causing exfoliation.
d. The river water erodes the shoreline and deposits barrier islands.
A
ANSWER:
18. The color of a soil ____.
a. is a reliable indicator of its fertility
b. is always dark brown or black
c. is not dependent on the amount of humus
d. is determined by its composition and climate
D
ANSWER:
19. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the deposition of eroded materials
in bodies of water?
a. It improves the quality of ecosystems.
b. It limits the availability of water for hydroelectric energy.
c. It reduces water supplies for personal consumption.
d. It can restrict navigation through the water bodies.
A
ANSWER:
20. Which of the following statements is NOT true of soils in sloped areas?
a. Smaller particles remain on the slopes, while coarser particles move
downslope.
b. Soils on slopes tend to be infertile.
c. Valley soils are usually thick.
d. South-facing slopes have somewhat thicker soils than slopes facing
other directions.
A
ANSWER:
21. There can be no stream erosion or glacial erosion without ____.
a. gravity c. wind
b. hydrolysis d. deposition
A
ANSWER:
Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
22. In a process known as ____________________, eroded materials are dropped in another
location.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: deposition
23. A major problem in farming areas is _________________________, which is the
deepening and widening of rill channels.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: gully erosion
24. A(n) _________________________ is a distinct layer, or zone, within a soil profile.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: soil horizon
25. ____________________ is the removal and transportation of weathered material from
one location to another.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Erosion
26. The process by which rocks on or near Earth’s surface break down and change is
____________________.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: weathering
27. _________________________ is the erosion by running water of a small channel on the
side of a slope.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Rill erosion
Matching
Match each item with the correct statement below.
a. temperate soils c. polar soils
b. tropical soils d. desert soils
28. These soils form at high latitudes and high elevations and have good drainage but no
distinct horizons.
C
ANSWER:
29. With rainfall greater than 50 – 60 cm per year, these soils vary greatly and may contain
large amounts of humus.
A
ANSWER:
30. These soils experience high temperatures and heavy rainfall, which leads them to become
weathered and often infertile.
B
ANSWER:
31. These soils generally get less than 25 cm of rain per year, which results in high levels of
accumulated salts.
D
ANSWER:
Match each item with the correct definition below.
a. residual soil f. soil
b. transported soil g. soil profile
c. exfoliation h. chemical weathering
d. oxidation i. frost wedging
e. hydrolysis
32. The loose covering of broken rock particles and decaying organic matter overlying the
bedrock of Earth’s surface
F
ANSWER:
33. The repeated thawing and freezing of water in the cracks of rocks
I
ANSWER:
34. A vertical sequence of soil layers
G
ANSWER:
35. The process by which rocks and minerals undergo changes in their composition as the
result of chemical reactions
H
ANSWER:
36. The chemical reaction of oxygen with other substances
D
ANSWER:
37. Soil that has been moved to a location away from its parent bedrock
B
ANSWER:
38. The reaction of water with other substances
E
ANSWER:
39. Soil located above its parent material
A
ANSWER:
40. The process by which outer layers of a rock are stripped away
C
ANSWER:
Short Answer
41. What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Weathering is the process that involves the breaking down and changing
of rocks and material on or near the Earth’s surface. Erosion is the
removal and movement of weathered materials from one location to
another.
42. What is acid precipitation and how does it affect the weathering process?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Acid precipitation is produced when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
emissions combine with oxygen and water in the atmosphere to form
sulfuric acid and nitric acid. These two acids can dissolve certain materials
like limestone, which results in chemical weathering.
43. Give an example of how animals, including humans, affect the erosional process.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Many animals that burrow move surface material from one location to
another. Humans excavate areas and move soil from one area to another.
44. Describe how soils form layers.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Small pieces of weathered bedrock break off and rest on top of the parent
rock layer. The pieces of rock continue to weather and the smaller pieces,
along with living and dead organisms, form the top layer. Larger pieces
form the underlying layers. Rainwater carries dissolved mineral to the
lower layers of the soil.
45. Below is a picture of a soil profile. Compare the characteristics of soil in Horizon A with
soil in Horizon B.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Horizon A is the surface layer containing topsoil, which is usually dark-
colored and rich in humus. Horizon B is the subsoil, is less-developed than
Horizon A soil, and often contains soluble minerals that have been washed
out from the topsoil. Horizon B soil may be red or brown in color due to
the presence of iron oxides.
46. How does climate influence the rate of weathering of earth materials?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: The interaction between temperature and precipitation has a great effect on
rates of weathering. Chemical weathering occurs most readily in warm
climates where rainfall is abundant and vegetation is lush. In contrast,
physical weathering occurs most readily in cool, dry climates where water
freezes and thaws.
47. Describe how soil forms.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Soil formation begins when weathering breaks bedrock into smaller and
smaller pieces. Over time, tiny organisms living in the weathered material
add nutrients to form soil. The processes of weathering and nutrient
addition continue, and soil texture improves. As soil continues to develop,
soil horizons form.
48. How do living things impact weathering and erosion?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Possible response: Plants contribute to weathering when their roots exert
pressure on rocks, and decaying organic matter contributes carbonic acid
for chemical weathering. Organisms move Earth’s surface materials from
one place to another as they carry on their life processes. Animals burrow
into the soil and shovel it to another place. Humans excavate when
building structures or highways. Humans move soil while planting a
garden. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, is responsible
for some chemical weathering through acid precipitation.
49. Contrast mechanical and chemical weathering, and give examples of each.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Mechanical weathering is the process by which rocks and minerals break
down into smaller pieces. In the process of chemical weathering, rocks
and minerals undergo changes in their composition as a result of chemical
reactions. Examples of mechanical weathering include frost wedging,
exfoliation, and weathering as a result of pressure exerted by plant roots.
Examples of chemical weathering include hydrolysis, oxidation, and the
dissolving of minerals by carbonic acid and acid precipitation.
Study the diagram. Then answer the following questions.
50. What property of soil does the diagram illustrate?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: soil texture
51. Name the three sizes of soil particles, from largest to smallest.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: clay, silt, sand
52. How would you classify a soil that contains 60 percent sand, 30 percent silt, and 10
percent clay?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: sandy loam
53. How would you classify a soil that contains equal percentages of all three sizes of soil
particles?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: clay loam
54. About what proportion of sand/silt/clay makes up sandy clay?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: 50 percent sand, 10 percent silt, 40 percent clay
55. In general, soil drainage is determined by particle size: the larger the particle size, the
better the drainage. Compare the drainage of sand, sandy clay, and clay soils.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Since sand has the largest percentage of large particle sizes, it should drain
the best. Clay has the largest percentage of small particle sizes, so it
should drain the worst. Sandy clay has a mixture of particle sizes, so it
should drain somewhere between clay and sand.
Problem
A golf course designer, who is about to build a championship golf course, has come to
you with a problem. He tells you that parts of his developing course cannot grow grass
and tend to flood. After testing the soil, you decide that the reason it drains poorly and
doesn’t retain adequate moisture is because it has too much nonporous clay. You tell him
that by adding soil conditioners, the new soil will improve its drainage and retain more
water. You mention that water retention is important because water supplies are low in
the hot summer months, and grasses need water to stay green. Improved drainage will
also allow more rainfall to be soaked into the soil, thus lessening runoff and water
erosion.
You develop a simple setup to test various soil combinations for drainage and water
retention. You will add dry soil, which was heated to expel all moisture, to a beaker. The
beaker has a drain hole in the bottom to allow the drainage of excess water to a
measuring cylinder. You add 200 ml of water to the beakers with the various soil
combinations. After one hour, you then reweigh the soil and measure the drainage water.
The clay is the unsuitable soil from the golf course. Humus and sand were picked up
from a local nursery, and soils A and B are higher priced synthetic soils produced by a
chemical company. Most of the soil combinations drained in less than 30 minutes. When
the drain time is greater than 60 minutes, this indicates poor drainage and some of the
water will remain on top of the soil, where it either evaporates or runs off. All water
weights are given in grams. One gram of water is approximately equal to one milliliter.
Clay + Clay + Clay + Clay +
Clay Humus Sand Soil A Soil B
Dry soil weight 600 g 600 g 600 g 600 g 600 g
Water added 200 g 200 g 200 g 200 g 200 g
Wet soil weight 690 g 730 g 640 g 730 g 760 g
Water drainage 20 g 70 g 160 g 70 g 35 g
Time to drain >60 min 30 min 20 min 30 min >60 min
56. The water added to the dry soil should equal the weight of the wet soil plus the drainage
weight. If it doesn’t, it’s because some of the water evaporated or ran off. Using the data
from the chart provided above, complete the table below by indicating the amount of
water that either evaporated or ran off.
Clay + Clay + Clay + Clay +
Clay Humus Sand Soil A Soil B
Water
evaporated/runoff
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Clay = 90, Clay + Humus = 0, Clay + Sand = 0, Clay + Soil A = 10, Clay
+ Soil B = 5
57. Compare the use of sand and humus as far as their ability to retain water and improve
drainage.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Sand in a soil will increase the drainage rate substantially, and also
increase the water retention by a small amount. Humus not only increases
the drainage rate of the soil, but also adds an organic component that
retains a lot of moisture.
58. How does Soil A and B compare to humus as far as their ability to retain water and
improve drainage.
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Soil A has the same drainage and water retention as humus. Soil B has
more water retention than humus, but does not drain as well.
59. Why do you suppose clay has such a high evaporation rate?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Clay soil has small particle sizes that compact easily. Once compacted, it
does not allow the easy penetration of water. The water that cannot enter
the soil usually evaporates or runs off.
60. Why is sand not a good soil conditioner?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: Sand has good drainage, but retains very little water.
61. What soil combination would you recommend to the golf course designer? What are
some other factors that might influence the selection of the best soil conditioner?
RESPONSE:
ANSWER: The soil that has the best combinations of water retention and drainage is
the clay/humus mixture and the clay/Soil A mixture. Answers may vary.
The availability of either soil conditioner, its cost, and the long term
effects of synthetic soil might be factors that would influence a decision.
