Chapter 1: Parent Materials
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1) Give a definition for soil.
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2) What does the term parent material mean?
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3) How is soil developed?
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4) What is meant by the terms “residual”, “transported” or “cumulose” parent materials?
Give an example of each.
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5) How are rocks classified?
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6) What is meant by an igneous rock? Give an example.
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7) What is meant by the term “sedimentary rock”? Give an example.
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8) What is meant by the term “metamorphic rock”? Give an example.
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9) Differentiate between granite and basalt.
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10) Where is Ireland would you find (i) granite (ii) Basalt (iii) Limestone (iv) Sandstone
(v) Slate (vi) Shale (vii) Marble.
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11) How would you examine rock sample?
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12) How would you test a rock for a carbonate?
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13) Differentiate between sandstone and limestone.
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14) What does the term “natural physical force” in regard to rock breakdown mean?
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15) What is gneiss and schist?
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16) What implication does parent material have on the pH of the soil?
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17) What is meant by the term Glaciation?
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18) What does the term glacial drift mean?
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19) How did Glaciation affect parent material?
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20) What are organic parent materials?
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21) Differentiate between blanket peat and basin peat. Give a location of each.
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22) Describe using a diagram the development of a raised bog.
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23) What is weathering? Name the 3 types of weathering. Give an example of each one.
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24) Differentiate using diagrams if necessary between physical, chemical and biological
weathering.
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25) With reference to chemical weathering explain the following terms: (i) Solution, (ii)
Hydrolysis (iii) Carbonation (iv) Hydration (v) Oxidation/Reduction.
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26) Describe an experiment to show you would examine and testing of rocks.
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