All of the following EXCEPT __________ can weather rock.a. sunlightb. freezing and thawingc. animalsd. plants

When materials containing iron are exposed to water and oxygen, oxidation can occur.

What kind of weathering causes the mineral composition of rocks to change?a. mechanical weatheringb. permeable weatheringc. chemical weatheringd. general weathering

Ice wedging causes mechanical weathering of rock by means ofa. heating and cooling.b. plant growth.c. animal actions.d. freezing and thawing of water.

Which is an example of chemical weathering?a) A rock breaking into fragments.b) A rock being scratched by rocks embedded in the bottom of a glacier.c) A rock dissolving in water.d) Sediment being moved down a hillside.

Which does not contribute to the rate of weathering?a. Rock type c. Climateb. Rock composition d. Fossils

Soil formation begins with the weathering ofa. litter.b. bedrock.c. the A horizon.d. humus.

If a river in flood picks up a house and moves it downstream, this isa) Chemical weatheringb) Mechanical weatheringc) Erosion d) All of the above

Soil is a valuable resource because ita. is important to all living things on land.b. contains sand and gravel.c. is rich in decomposers.d. has all three soil horizons.

Which factor has the least effect on the weathering of a rock?A) composition of the rockB) exposure of the rock to the atmosphereC) the number of fossils found in the rockD) climatic conditions

In which horizon is humus concentrated?a. A – horizon c. C – horizonb. B – Horizon d. O – horizon

Which describes a residual soil?a. Soil from sediment deposited by glaciersb. Sand that has collected in a floodplainc. Fine-grained sediment that was deposited by windd. Layers of material that weathered from bedrock below

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 Statesc. Living organisms add nutrient to itd. It takes a long time to form

What is one source of organic matter in soil?a. Acid precipitationb. Weathered topsoilc. Dead fungi, bacteria, and protozoad. eroding bedrock

For which movement of earth materials is gravity not the main force?A) snow tumbling in an avalancheB) moisture evaporating from an oceanC) boulders carried by a glacierD) sediments flowing in a river

Why is weathering an important process in soil formation?

A. Weathered material is the main component in the soil.B. Weathering brings water into the soil layers.C. Weathered material provides the organic nutrients into the soil.D. Weathering removes the soil, and therefore prevents soil formation

The color of a soil ___________.a. Is a reliable indicator of its fertilityb. It always dark brown or blackc. Is not dependent on the amount of humusd. Is determined by its composition and climate

Which is considered NOT a factor of soil formation?a. Topography c. Timeb. Parent material d. Chemistry

Which is usually the primary factor that affects the rate of weathering?a. Topography c. Climateb. Volume d. Biological organisms

Which of the following has the potential for the most erosion?a. Water flowing across a flatlandb. Wind blowing materials in the air, again the force of gravityc. Wind blowing materials down a sloped. Water flowing down a steep slope

In which of the following climates would chemical weathering most readily occur?a. Wet and warm c. Wet and coolb. Dry and warm d. Dry and cool

The loss of topsoil to erosion is bad becausea) Topsoil contains most of the nutrients.b) Topsoil protects the rich organic material beneath it.c) When the topsoil is gone it means that the entire soil profile has eroded away.d) All of the above

Going down in a soil, each soil horizon downward becomesa) More altered from the original rock.b) Less altered and more like the original rock.c) Darker and more organic rich.d) A & C