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The Earth's Layers
Vocabulary related to the study of the Earth and its layers.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hydrosphere | The layer of the earth that contains bodies of water including lakes, rivers and oceans |
| Lithosphere | The layer of the earth that contains rocks, minerals and soils |
| Atmosphere | The layer that surrounds the earth and protects us from too much sunlight |
| Crust | The outer part of the lithosphere |
| Core | The center layer of the earth |
| Mantle | The layer of the earth that is between the crust and the core |
| Plate Tectonics | The theory that says the earth's surface is made up of about 20 moving pieces |
| Weathering | The breaking down or changing of rock |
| Erosion | Weathered rock is moved from place to place by this process |
| Deposition | Eroded material that is carried by water slows down and is dropped during this process |
| Igneous Rock | Melted mantle that has cooled |
| Sedimentary Rock | Solid particles cemented together |
| Metamorphic Rock | Igneous or metamorphic rock changed by heat or pressure |
| Fossil | Remains of any dead organism trapped in layers of rock |
| Rock Cycle | Process in which rocks undergo change |