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Erosion and Wind
Erosion
Plate tectonics are not the only forces transforming the Earth’s landscape. Another such
force is ________________________________________________
Erosion is the ____________________________ of rocks and soil by water, wind and
certain human activities. Erosion results in the ________________.
There are three stages of erosion

Weathering –Fragmenting (breaking down) of the _________________________.

Transportation – Rock fragments are carried by______________________ and
__________________________ Erosion is compounded by the abrasive power of
fragments transported by the _______________________________.

Sedimentation – The fragments suspended in the water, or transported by glaciers
or wind, _____________________________ and are _________________ at
the bottom of the oceans. They also accumulate in _________________ and
_______________________.
Plants can help slow down the process: their roots _______________________ the soil
in place. This can also prevent _________________________.
In addition – there are three categories of erosion:

Biological – caused by ___________________________________________.
Ex – decomposition of living things can create an ___________________ which
___________________ rocks. Ex – Tree roots ___________________ rocks
and ultimately _________________________________________________
.

Mechanical – caused by variations in __________________, pressure,
___________________, and water Ex Niagara Falls which recedes _________
every year because the water wears down the rock.

Chemical Erosion – Rain can become acidic because of __________________ and
it chemically changes certain _____________________ in the soil such as
_____________________. This process gradually destroys rocks. Ex – Acid rain
can alter the surface of __________________________________________.
Wind
Prevailing winds are not ________________________ evenly over the Earth’s surface.
Two factors explain their particular distribution: ______________________ cells and
_______________________ Effect.
1. Convection cells – when air warms up, it increases in __________________ and
_______________________. This creates a ________________________ area on
the ground below it. Colder air thus rushes in to ____________________ the air that
has risen.
The warm air ____________________ and is _______________, bringing it down to
the surface again. The _________ air mass and the __________ air mass are constantly
__________________________. The looping movements are called
________________________. See page 338 for diagram. On a smaller scale,
convection is used as a means to ____________________________________.
2. Coriolis Effect – as the Earth rotates from _______________ to _____________,
it diverts air masses in the atmosphere to the right (___________________________)
or to the left (___________________________________). This is called the
_______________ Effect.
This movement produces the _____________________________ (equator and tropics),
prevailing _______________________________ (middle latitudes), and ___________
______________ (polar regions).