Week 1: Introduction to Weathering and Erosion

Vocabulary
1. Erosion: removal of rock particles by natural processes such as moving rivers and
streams.
2. Soil: ' skin of the earth' or the mixture of minerals, animals, and organic material that
supports life on earth.
3. Weathering: breaking down rocks, soil, and other materials without any type of
movements
4. Runoff: the flow of water from rain, ice or snow that runs over land
5. Acid rain: rain that is usually acidic (rich in hydrogen ions) that affects plants and
auatic animals negatively.
6. Leaching: removing nutrients from the soil and avoiding soil salinity
7. Water erosion: movements of water (streams and rivers )change the shapes of rocks