| Term | Definition |
|---|
| runoff | water that flows over the surface of the earth into rivers and lakes |
| condensation | changing of a liquid into a gas |
| precipitation | water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail |
| groundwater | water that is absorbed by the earth |
| transpiration | process by which plants that release water into the atmosphere from small pores on their leaves known as stomata |
| evaporation | changing of a solid to a gas |
| glacier | large mass of ice and snow that moves over land |
| weathering | process that breaks down rock into smaller pieces |
| erosion | process of transporting weathered material by natural agents |
| deposition | process of laying the weathered material down in a new location |
| waves | curving swells of water caused by wind, tides, and earthquakes |
| beach | place where eroded particles are deposited parallel to the shore |
| wind | moving air |
| mechanical weathering | process by which rock is split or broken into smaller pieces without changing its chemical composition, disintegration |
| chemical weathering | process by which rock is split or broken into smaller pieces without changing its chemical composition, disintegration |
| soil | loose, weathered rock and organic material in which plants with roots can grow |
| A horizon | topsoil horizon that is generally gray to black |
| B horizon | subsoil horizon that is generally red or brown |
| C horizon | horizon made of rock fragments on top of unweatered bedrock |
| parent material | material from which a soil is formed, determines composition and properties of the soil |
| regolith | weathered rock fragments |
| soil profile | a cross-section in which layers of the soil and bedrock can be seen |
| humus | dark soil that contains decaying remains of plants and animals |
| bedrock | solid rock that lies beneath the soil |
| abrasion | the collision of rocks with other rocks, resulting in the breaking and wearing away of the rocks |
| carbonation | carbonic acid reacts with calcite to dissolve limestone |
| hydrolysis | minerals are dissolved in water |
| oxidation | oxygen in the atmosphere chemically reacts with minerals |
| aquifer | body of rock that can store much water and from which water flows freely |
| zone of aeration | upper region of groundwater between the water table and the earth's surface |
| permeability | the ease with which water flows through the open spaces in a rock or sediment |
| porosity | percentage of open spaces in a rock or sediment |
| zone of saturation | lower region of groundwater where all the pore spaces in a rock or sediment are filled with water |
| water table | upper surface of the zone of saturation |
| pores | small holes in rocks |
| groundwater | water that soaks deep into soil and rock |
| cavern | a cave |
| sinkholes | circular depressions caused when the roof of a cavern collapses |
| natural bridges | archs of rock formed by groundwater erosion |
| stalagmite | cone shaped calcite deposite built up from the floor of a cavern |
| stalactite | cone shaped calcite deposite suspened from the ceiling of a cavern |
| column | formed when a stalagmite meets a stalactite or vise versa |
| toglobite | creatures that live only in caves |
| karst topography | region wher the effects of chemical weathering due to groundwater, such as sinkholes and caverns, are clearly visible |
| humus | dark soil that contains decaying remains of plants and animals |
| acid rain | rain that is very acidic |
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