Water that is stored

in the oceans and

lakes can

and become a gas.

 As the water
rises through the
atmosphere, it cools,
condenses and
becomes
 When the water gets
heavy enough it can fall
to the ground in the
form of different types
of
If the lithosphere (ground)
is saturated, the water that
has fallen can become

and flow directly into

streams, rivers, or lakes.
If the lithosphere is not
saturated, the water will

the ground and move into

the zone of

or the zone of
 The interface
(boundary) between
these two zones is
called the
 The roots of plants can
reach into the zone of

soak up the water, and the

water can then re-enter
the atmosphere through
the process of
Water Cycle
NC River Basins
Surface Water - Stream Flow
 transpiration

condensation

precipitation

evaporation
evaporation

infiltration
NC Underground Aquifers
 Total volume of empty space
total volume of soil

What materials would you need to calculate

the porosity of a sample of soil?
Which is more porous, a container of:
a. round particles or angular particles

b. tightly packed particles or loosely packed particles

c. well-sorted particles or unsorted particles

d. large beads or small beads

Which column would allow water
to flow through fastest? Why?
Why do large particles let water through
faster (more permeable)?
 If you join sediment from A and D,
what would happen to the permeability? Why?
Which is more permeable?
a. small particles or large particles

b. frozen ground or unfrozen ground

Which is more permeable?
a. small particles or large particles

b. frozen ground or unfrozen ground

Which will result in greater runoff and stream discharge?

a. an area that is vegetated or an area that is barren

b. an area that has a steep slope or an area that is flat

c. ground that is frozen or ground that is unfrozen

d. ground that is saturated or ground that unsaturated

Which will result in greater runoff and stream discharge?

a. an area that is vegetated or an area that is barren

b. an area that has a steep slope or an area that is flat

c. ground that is frozen or ground that is unfrozen

d. ground that is saturated or ground that unsaturated

exfoliation
Ayers Rock,
Australia

Chemical Weathering
occurs fastest in this type
of environment:
Why will smaller particles weather
faster?

Smaller particles have larger

SURFACE AREAS.
4 cm. Surface area = length x width

6 sides X 4cm. X 4cm. = 96 cm2

8 cubes x 6 sides X 2 cm. X 2 cm. =

192 cm2

64 cubes X 6 sides X 1 cm. X 1 cm. =

256 cm2
Which will weather faster and why?

Pebbles Sand Silt Clay

 Weathering Rate

Particle Size
What is soil?
Soil is a mixture of weathered rock
and humus (decaying plant and
animal matter).

Note: Hummus is bean dip.

To go from weathered rock
to one inch of topsoil takes
about 1 million years.
Soil that forms and stays in one place.
Similar composition as the bedrock.

Soil that got moved.

Most soils are transported.

What is erosion?
SLUMP a slow landslide.
 Erosion rate versus Slope
Erosion Rate

Slope
 STREAM VELOCITY
EROSION

DISCHARGE
Oxbow Lakes
desert wind pitted
erosion
Which direction is the wind blowing?
FASTEST