Radience

Weathering

Science

abrasion

the wearing away of rock by other rock or sand particles
abrasion Simple Definition

acid rain

when rain is acidic due to pollution
acid rain Simple Definition

alluvial fan

a fan-shaped deposit formed as water flows down a slope
alluvial fan Simple Definition

beach

an area of deposited sediment along a coast
beach Simple Definition

bedrock

the solid layer of rock beneath the soil
bedrock Simple Definition

chemical weathering

the breakdown of rock through chemical processes, like acid rain
chemical weathering Simple Definition

continental glacier

a glacier that covers much of a continent
continental glacier Simple Definition

creep

the slow downhill movement of soil or rock
creep Simple Definition

deflation

wind erosion that removes fine soil particles
deflation Simple Definition

delta

a large mass of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river
delta Simple Definition

deposition

the process of dropping sediment by water or wind
deposition Simple Definition

drainage basin

an area of land where water drains into a stream
drainage basin Simple Definition

erosion

the process in which rock is worn away and transported by water, wind or ice
erosion Simple Definition

exfoliation

the process by which layers of rock gradually break off
exfoliation Simple Definition

flood plain

a wide valley through which a river flows and can overflow
flood plain Simple Definition

glacier

a large mass of slow moving ice and snow
glacier Simple Definition

gully

a large channel in soil created by water erosion
gully Simple Definition

humus

decayed plant and animal matter in the soil
humus Simple Definition

ice wedge

when water seeps into a rock, then freezes and expands, cracking the rock
ice wedge Simple Definition

kettle

a lake formed by melted ice, left behind by a glacier
kettle Simple Definition

landslide

the sudden movement of loose rock and soil down a slope
landslide Simple Definition

loess

wind-blown deposits of fine sediment
loess Simple Definition

longshore current

a water current parallel to the shoreline
longshore current Simple Definition

mass movement

the downhill movement of rocks or soil
mass movement Simple Definition

meander

a broad curve in a river
meander Simple Definition

mechanical weathering

the breaking of rocks without any chemical change, like by plant roots
mechanical weathering Simple Definition

moraine

a ridge of rock debris deposited by a glacier
moraine Simple Definition

mudflow

a large flow of mud, rock or soil mixed with water
mudflow Simple Definition

oxbow lake

a U-shaped lake that forms when a meander is cut off from a river
oxbow lake Simple Definition

oxidation

a chemical change in which a substance combines with oxygen, like when iron forms rust
oxidation Simple Definition

permeable

describes rock or soil that allows water to seep through
permeable Simple Definition

plucking

the process by which a glacier picks up rocks as it flows over land
plucking Simple Definition

rill

a tiny groove in the soil made by flowing water
rill Simple Definition

runoff

water that flows on the ground instead of being soaked into it
runoff Simple Definition

sand dune

a mound of sand deposited by the wind
sand dune Simple Definition

shoreline

the boundary between the land and a body of water
shoreline Simple Definition

soil

the loose mixture of rock, minerals and organic matter that covers the Earth
soil Simple Definition

soil conservation

the management of soil to prevent erosion and nutrient loss
soil conservation Simple Definition

soil horizon

a soil layer different from the layers above and below it, in particle size or pH
soil horizon Simple Definition

soil profile

a cross section of soil that shows the different layers (horizons)
soil profile Simple Definition

till

the sediment left behind by a melting glacier
till Simple Definition

valley glacier

a long, narrow glacier in a mountain valley
valley glacier Simple Definition

weathering

the processes which break down rocks
weathering Simple Definition

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