Minerals and Rocks Cont…
Clay Soil
Silt Soil
Sandy Soil
Loam
 Fine-grained
 Hold water very well, but can get waterlogged
 Medium-sized grains
 Drain fairly well
 Large-grained
 Hold water poorly and have little organic matter
 Mixes clay, silt, and sand in nearly equal parts.
 Best kind of soil for plants
Ever-Changing Surface of Earth
Sediments
Weathering
Solid particles that are moved from one place to another
 The physical process that causes such dramatic, long-range alterations to
Earth’s surface
 Rock break down into smaller pieces
Mechanical
 Rock breaks down due to the physical movement of wind, water, and ice
Weathering
over rock
 Rocks break down, but the mineral make up does not change
Chemical Weathering  Rock breaks down, but the minerals that make up the rock change
 Occurs more frequently in warmer climates
 Ex: Nevadas Valley of Fire State Park
o Oxygen in the air reacted with the iron in the rock
o Turned red
Erosion
 Occurs when wind, water, ice, and gravity carry soil and sediments from
one place to another.
Deposition
 Process of dropping sediment in a new place
 Deposited when the force of a river slows down and the water can no
longer carry it
 Effects of deposition
o Boulder in middle of river
o Soda can on riverbank
Summary: