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Earth Systems Topic2
vocabulary
Term | Definition |
---|---|
seismic wave | Vibrations that travel through Earth carrying the energy released during an earthquake. |
crust | The layer of rock that forms Earth's outer surface. |
mantle | The layer of hot solid material between Earth's crust and core. |
outer core | A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth. |
inner core | A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth. |
mineral | a naturally occurring solid that can form by inorganic processes and that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition |
crystal | a solid in which the atoms are arranged in a pattern that repeats again and again |
crystallization | the process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure. |
igneous rock | a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below Earth's surface |
sedimentary rock | A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of plants and animals are pressed and cemented together |
sediment | small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or the remains of organisms; earth materials deposited by erosion |
metamorphic rock | A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions. |
rock cycle | A series of processes on the surface and inside Earth that slowly changes rocks from one kind to another. |