ESS 101 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS |
GRADED A+ | NEW UPDATE 2026
weathering - ANSWERS✅ the chemical alteration and physical breakdown of
rock material during exposure to the air, moisture, and organic matter.
mechanical weathering - ANSWERS✅ development of joints, crystal
growth(salts), frost-wedging/freeze-thaw, heat (spalling and thermal
expansion/contraction), bioturbation (root penetration and enlarging joint
fractures in rock)
chemical weathering - ANSWERS✅ carbonation, hydrolisis, oxidation,
dissolution
weathering effects on rocks - ANSWERS✅ concentration of stable minerals,
weathering rinds, spheroidal weathering
weathering factors - ANSWERS✅ climate, organisms, relief, parent material,
time
soil formation - ANSWERS✅ eluviation (removal), illuviation (accumulation),
translocation (movement of material through soil profile), transformation
(chemical alteration of minerals within soil profile in situ)
, factors of soil formation - ANSWERS✅ climate, organisms, relief, parent
material, time (CLORTP)
SOIL - ANSWERS✅ O: loose organic matter
A: Inorganic matter w/humus; constantly cycling; topsoil
E: eluviated horizon, little/no organic matter
B: zone of illuviation containing materials from zone of accumulation (E)
C: weathered parent material, little to no organic matter
wk - ANSWERS✅ w: accumulation of iron oxide
k: calcium carbonate
sedimentary rock formation - ANSWERS✅ accumulation, compaction,
cementation
cementing agents - ANSWERS✅ Silica, Fe-oxide, Calcite, Clays, and Tar
clastic sedimentary rocks - ANSWERS✅ accumulated particles of broken rock
or skeletal remains of dead organisms.
conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, mudstone (shale)
chemical sedimentary rocks - ANSWERS✅ formed by precipitation of minerals
from solution in water.
limestone, dolostone, rock salt
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS |
GRADED A+ | NEW UPDATE 2026
weathering - ANSWERS✅ the chemical alteration and physical breakdown of
rock material during exposure to the air, moisture, and organic matter.
mechanical weathering - ANSWERS✅ development of joints, crystal
growth(salts), frost-wedging/freeze-thaw, heat (spalling and thermal
expansion/contraction), bioturbation (root penetration and enlarging joint
fractures in rock)
chemical weathering - ANSWERS✅ carbonation, hydrolisis, oxidation,
dissolution
weathering effects on rocks - ANSWERS✅ concentration of stable minerals,
weathering rinds, spheroidal weathering
weathering factors - ANSWERS✅ climate, organisms, relief, parent material,
time
soil formation - ANSWERS✅ eluviation (removal), illuviation (accumulation),
translocation (movement of material through soil profile), transformation
(chemical alteration of minerals within soil profile in situ)
, factors of soil formation - ANSWERS✅ climate, organisms, relief, parent
material, time (CLORTP)
SOIL - ANSWERS✅ O: loose organic matter
A: Inorganic matter w/humus; constantly cycling; topsoil
E: eluviated horizon, little/no organic matter
B: zone of illuviation containing materials from zone of accumulation (E)
C: weathered parent material, little to no organic matter
wk - ANSWERS✅ w: accumulation of iron oxide
k: calcium carbonate
sedimentary rock formation - ANSWERS✅ accumulation, compaction,
cementation
cementing agents - ANSWERS✅ Silica, Fe-oxide, Calcite, Clays, and Tar
clastic sedimentary rocks - ANSWERS✅ accumulated particles of broken rock
or skeletal remains of dead organisms.
conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, mudstone (shale)
chemical sedimentary rocks - ANSWERS✅ formed by precipitation of minerals
from solution in water.
limestone, dolostone, rock salt
