JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD B.Tech II Year MINING GEOLOGY Previous Question Paper (April/May - 2023 - R13)

Soils are the unconsolidated, loose, and weathered surface layer of the Earth's crust that forms through the physical and chemical weathering of rocks. They consist of a mixture of mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air, providing the essential medium for plant growth.

Erosion is the geological process by which Earth materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind, water, ice, and gravity. Unlike weathering, which involves the physical breakdown or chemical alteration of rocks in situ, erosion involves the active movement of these particles from one location to another.

The process generally occurs in three distinct stages: detachment of particles from the parent material, transportation of the material, and deposition in a new location. Key agents include:

• Water: The most significant agent, including rainfall, rivers, and ocean waves, which carve channels and transport sediment.
• Wind: Primarily effective in arid regions, where it carries fine particles like sand and dust, causing abrasion of rock surfaces.
• Glaciers: Massive moving ice sheets that grind down bedrock and transport large volumes of debris over long distances.
• Gravity: Responsible for mass wasting events such as landslides and rockfalls, which move material down slopes.