Soil and Weathering

2. the size, shape, and position of the particles of soil
4. the amount of open space between an object
6. the process of wearing something down by friction
7. the process in which transported sediment is laid down
9. the process in which layers or sheets of rock gradually break off
11. weathering the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces of the same material without any change to its composition
12. layer of rock beneath the soil
13. the ability to let water pass through
14. a chemical reaction in which an element combines with oxygen to form an oxide; iron oxide = rust
15. the process by which rainwater dissolves and carries away minerals and nutrients in topsoil
17. the decaying organic matter in soil
18. horizon a soil layer with physical and chemical properties that differ from those of the soil layers above or below it

1. weathering breakdown or decomposition of rock that takes place when minerals change through chemical processes
3. the makeup of rock or soil describing the minerals or elements present in it
5. the expansion of desert conditions in an area where the natural plant cover has been destroyed
8. the process by which natural forces break down rocks and soil
10. the top layer of soil that contains humus
16. the process in which sediment is picked up and moved from one place to another