Weathering and Soil vocabulary Crossword

The process by which natural forces break down rocks into soil
The breakdown of rock into smaller pieces of the same material without any change of its composition
The process by which layers or sheets of rock gradually break off
The process of wearing something down by friction
The breakdown or decomposition of rock that takes place
A chemical reaction in which an element combines with oxygen to form an oxide; iron oxide = rust
The process by which rainwater dissolves and carries away minerals and nutrients in topsoil
The makeup of rock or soil describing the minerals or elements present in it
A soil layer with physical and chemical properties that differ from those of the soil layers above or below it
The decaying of organic matter in soil
The top layer of soil that contains humus
Layer of rock beneath the soil
The process in which transported sediment is laid down
The process in which sediment is picked up and moved from one place to another
The size, shape, and position of the particles of soil
The ability to let water pass through
The amount of open space between an object
The expansion of desert conditions in an area where the natural plant cover has been destroyed