Earth Systems Science Final Exam 2024

soil - a relatively thin surface layer made up of a mixture of weathered mineral particles, decaying organic matter, living organisms, gases, and liquid solutions components of soil - • Inorganic materials (Sand, silt, clay, Loam is a mix) • Organic matter • Water • Air elluviation - fine particles carried percolating water to deeper soil illuviation - deposition of the particles eluviated from above O horizon - loose and partly decayed organic matter at top A horizon - mineral matter mixed with some humus E horizon - zone of elluviation and leaching B horizon - accumulation of clay, iron, and aluminum from above C Horizon - partially altered parent material R horizon - unweathered parent material soil forming factors - • Geology (Bedrock) • Climate • Topography • Biology • Time chemical weathering: oxidation - • Oxygen + metallic element oxides Geomorphology - The study of landforms and the processes that shape (create or modify) them -Seeks explanations for the shape, origin, spatial distribution, and development of terrain features landforms - Surface terrain features (mountains, valleys, plains, plateaus, canyons, bays, peninsulas, seas, etc..) low relief - Mississippi River Delta, Kansas high relief - Ouachitas, Rockies, Himalayas Endogenic processes (internal) - Originate within Earth and result in an increase in surface relief • Examples: Plate collisions, Volcanism • Exogenic processes (external) - Originate at Earth's surface, tend to decrease relief • Examples: Weathering, Mass wasting, Erosion orogeny - mountain building lithosphere - Earth's crust and uppermost mantle (~70 km) towards the core: - • Increasing pressure • Increasing temperature • Increasing density oceanic crust - Basaltic continental crust - granitic