lesson 5: exogenic process

• exogenic process


  external mechanism that happens on or near the surface of the earth
• weathering


  breakdown of rocks and minerals near the earth's surface. that is also caused by physical or chemical interactions.
• length of exposure


  vulnerability of a rock to weathering
• physical weathering


  process that breaks rocks apart without changing their chemical composition.
• chemical weathering


  breaks down rocks by chemical means (acids, bacteria, or enzymes)
• hydrolysis


  one mineral to another
• dissolution


  dissolving when acidic waters reach with minerals
• oxidation


  loss of electrons or increase of a molecule/atom
• cation exchange


  mineral cations held by mineral grains and crystals are substituted
• chelation


  hydrocarbon molecules are incorporated in mineral cations
• erosion


  material from a surface is distributed to a new location
• water erosion


  -removal of soil by water

  -transportation of the eroded materials away from the point of removal
• wind erosion


  natural process that moves soil to another location by wind power
• mass movements/mass wasting

  large scale movements of loose materials
• landslides


  fast-moving downslope movements of soil and rock
• debris flows


  rapid flows of water-saturated materials often in steep areas
• rockfalls


  free fall of rocks from a steep slope or cliff
• creep


  slow downslope movements of soil and rock
• deposition


  sediments, soil, and rocks are added to a landform