Chapter 16 Holt Earth Science, Holt Earth Science Chapter 14

groundwater
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Terms in this set (25)
groundwater
the water that is beneath Earth's surface
aquifer
a body of rock or sediment that stores groundwater and allows the flow of groundwater
porosity
the percentage of the total volume of a rock or sediment that consists of open spaces
permeability
the ability of a rock or sediment to let fluids pass through its open spaces, or pores
water table
the upper surface of underground water; the upper boundary of the zone of saturation
cavern
a natural cavity that forms in rock as a result of the dissolution of minerals
sinkhole
a circular depression that forms when rock dissolves, when overlying sediment fills an existing cavity, or when the roof of an underground cavern or mine collapses
Hard Water
Water that has a high concentration of dissolved minerals
Weathering
the process by which rock materials are broken down by physical or chemical processes
Mechanical weathering
the process by which rocks break down into smaller pieces by physical means
abrasionthe grinding and wearing away of rock surfaces through the mechanical action of other rock or sand particleschemical weatheringthe process by which rocks break down as a result of chemical reactionsoxidationthe process by which a metallic element combines with oxygenhydrolysisBreaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of watercarbonationthe conversion of. compound into a carbonateacid precipitationrain, sleet or snow that contains a high concentration of acidssoila loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water and air that can support vegetation growthsoil profileAll the vertical layers or horizons that make up a soil in a particular placehorizonhorizontal layer of soil that can be distinguished from the layers above and below it.erosionthe process by which wind, water, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to anothersheet erosionthe process by which water flows over a layer of soil and removes the topsoilmass movementthe movement of a large mass of sediment or a section of land down a slopecreepA slow mass movement of sediments down a hilllandforma physical feature of Earth's surfacearctic soilsoil that is thin and consists mostly of regolith