Question

What factors cause mechanical weathering?
Explain why chemical weathering occurs faster in hot, wet climates than in cool, dry climates.
What role does weathering play in the formation of soil?
How did settlers on the Great Plains help create the Dust Bowl?
Describe two techniques that farmers use to conserve soil.

Answer 1

While not knowing much at all about geology and erosion in general I would guess the following.

I'm not certain exactly what mechanical weathering is but I assume it is stuff like rocks cracking due to ice expansion and rocks slowly being grinded down to dust by water currents, plant roots and grazing animals such as goats.

Weatering probably occurs faster in hot, wet climates since heat is an important factor in making chemical reactions occur (and the speed of the reactions), and water is a phenomenal solvent and chemical reactant which would also facilitate chemical reactions. Thus, it would be logical that hot, wet climates weather stuff faster than cool and dry climates, assuming all other parameters are the same.

I would guess that excessive weathering breaks down rocks and solid materials to smaller and smaller fragments it will eventually become soil/dirt.

Settlers on the great plains probably cared/knew little of soil erosion so when they settled there their farm animals and their farming techniques tore into the environment uprooting stuff that kept the dust mostly ground bound, maybe creating more dust by grinding down rocks with cows and their hooves.

No real idea about the last question.

Answer 2

"Describe two techniques that farmers use to conserve soil"

Well loss of soil is an interesting problem, erosion is the biggest way to loose soil, so by minimizing erosion you can minimize soil loss. Some techniques are as simple as installing wind breaks (ie. trees between paddocks) to prevent wind erosion. Other things, like increasing soil organic carbon content can help the soil "adhere" to itself better otherwise known as aggregation.

Answer 3

"Settlers on the great plains probably cared/knew little of soil erosion so when they settled there their farm animals and their farming techniques tore into the environment uprooting stuff that kept the dust mostly ground bound, maybe creating more dust by grinding down rocks with cows and their hooves."

This is sort-of correct :) good work given you're not from a soils background, logic wins!

Anyway - yes they used incorrect farming techniques - one example that comes to mind is that they left ground that was bare, removing the grasses that used to grow there. This was then followed by drought periods that caused the soil to dry out and left the soil with no aggregation (think of beach sand - this is soil that does not aggregate - assuming your beaches are like ours :P). As soon as any wind came through it just picked up the dust and the soil, freed by the drought conditions.. and wuala! you have a dust bowl.