The rotation of the earth and the inertia of the air above it causes westerly winds at the equator. ... Equatorial air rises and, deflected, falls back to the surface in temperate latitudes, where it then flows toward the east. ... Land masses and underwater topography deflect currents into complex patterns near the continents. ... As the air ascends and cools, it loses its capacity to hold water (adiabatic cooling). ... Parent rock erodes physically and chemically into smaller and smaller particles, which become soils as they collect on both coarse and fine scales; the chemical nature of soil...

• Word Count: 12375
• Approx Pages: 50
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate