Weathering and Soil Crossword

3. the size, shape, and position of the particles of soil
6. the ability to let water pass through
8. the makeup of rock or soil describing the minerals or elements present in it
10. the process of wearing something down by friction
12. a chemical reaction in which an element combines with oxygen to form an oxide; iron oxide = rust
14. weathering the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces of the same material without any change to its composition
16. the process by which rainwater dissolves and carries away minerals and nutrients in topsoil
17. the process in which sediment is picked up and moved from one place to another

1. the decaying organic matter in soil
2. the process in which transported sediment is laid down
4. the process in which layers or sheets of rock gradually break off
5. the expansion of desert conditions in an area where the natural plant cover has been destroyed
7. the top layer of soil that contains humus
9. the amount of open space between an object
11. the process by which natural forces break down rocks and soil
13. weathering breakdown or decomposition of rock that takes place when minerals change through chemical processes
15. layer of rock beneath the soil
18. horizon a soil layer with physical and chemical properties that differ from those of the soil layers above or below it