Comprehension check. 1. What are the most important processes of chemical weathering?

1. What are the most important processes of chemical weathering?

2. Is water found in nature pure? What makes it acidic?

3. What helps dissolve rocks?

4. What is oxidation? Give an example.

5. What is hydrolysis?

6. Most solution reactions are reversible. What does it mean?

Lexical exercises.

a) Match the words and the meanings:

intact clean, unmixed

common numerous, plentiful

pure loss, damage

remote simple, ordinary

abundant far, distant

harm hard, strong, firm

tough unbroken, undamaged

durable lasting, existing for a long time

b) Find English equivalents in the text:

выветривание; делювиальные склоны; дневной цикл нагревания – охлаждения; морозное расклинивание; гидролиз; окисление; кислотные дождь; декомпрессия (снятие нагрузки (давления) с образованием трещин); механическое (химическое) выветривание; острые края; валун; образование ржавчины

Summary.

Weathering is the decomposition and disintegration of rocks and minerals at the Earth’s surface. Erosion is the removal of weathered rock or soil by moving water, wind, glaciers, or gravity. After a rock or soil has bee eroded from the immediate environment, it may be transported large distances and deposited.

Mechanical weathering can occur by frost wedging, abrasion, organic activity thermal expansion and contraction, and pressure-release fracturing.

Chemical weathering occurs when chemical reactions decompose minerals. A few minerals dissolve readily in water. Acids and bases often markedly enhance the solubility of minerals. The hydrolysis is a form of chemical weathering. Oxidation is the reaction with oxygen to decompose minerals.

Unit IV GROUND WATER

Read and translate the following word combinations.

To fill with water; subterranean ground water; to saturate the Earth’s crust; to dig wells; to pump the water to the surface; to provide drinking water; porosity of rock or soil; permeability; to porous and permeable; the density of fractures in the rock; to soak into the ground; to descend into the crust; the zone of saturation; the water table; the zone of aeration; capillary action; a capillary fringe; the soil moisture belt; to recharge the ground water; to be poor aquifers; to create landforms; an intricate stalactite; high humidity; the splashing water

Read the text.