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Earth Science
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| banding | Minerals align creating dark and light bands (stripes). |
| bedrock horizon (layer R) | -solid rock -building construction starts here to make a solid foundation |
| cementation | Occurs when minerals such as quartz, calcite, and hematite are deposited between sediments. |
| classify | Arrange into groups according to shared qualities or characteristics. |
| clay | Sediment that is comprised of very fine mineral particles and not much organic material. The finest soil. |
| cleavage | A property where minerals break into pieces that have smooth, flat surfaces. |
| color | A characteristic in some minerals that is very unique; for example, fluorite is green, sulfur is yellow - not always reliable because the same mineral can come in different colors. |
| compaction | Pressure from all of the built up layers pushes down on the lower layers causing the small fragments to form solid rock. |
| conservation plowing | Farmers disturb the soil and it's plant cover as little as possible. Weeds and dead stalks from the previous year's crop are left in the ground to decompose. |
| contour plowing | Plowing and planting fields along the curves of a slope to prevent soil loss. |
| crop rotation | The system of growing a different crop in a field each year to preserve the fertility of the land. |
| crystal | A solid in which the atoms are arranged in a certain pattern that repeats over and over again |
| crystallization | The process by which atoms form a solid and arrange themselves in an orderly, repeating pattern (6 main types) |
| density | The mass of the object divided by the volume. |
| deposition | The process in which wind, water, and gravity leave eroded sediments in new locations. |
| desertification | The process by which land becomes changed into desert, usually through climatic change or over farming. |
| erosion | The movement of sediments from one location to another. |
| extrusive igneous rock | Forms when lava cools and hardens outside of the Earth's crust.. |
| felsic | light colored, low density, and rich in silicon and aluminum |
| fluorescence | Some minerals have the ability to temporarily absorb a small amount of light and an instant later release a small amount of light of a different wavelength--so it looks like they are glowing. |
| foliated rocks | A metamorphic rock that has mineral grains which line up in parallel layers. |
| fracture | A property where minerals break into pieces that have uneven or curved surfaces. |
| geology | the study of the origin, history, and structure of Earth |
| hardness | The ability to scratch an object or be scratched by an object |
| humus | Material in the soil that formed from decayed plants and animals. |
| humus horizon (layer O) | -made up of living and decomposed materials like leaves, plants, and bugs -very thin and is usually pretty dark |
| igneous | What kind of rock is this? |
| igneous Rock | Forms when magma or lava cools. Two types--intrusive and extrusive. |
| inorganic | A substance that does not contain matter that was once alive. |
| intrusive igneous rock | Forms when magma cools and hardens under the Earth's crust. |
| lava | Melted rock material, composed of common elements and fluids, that reaches and exits Earth's surface. |
| loam | Rich, fertile soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt. |
| luster | The way light reflects off a mineral. |
| mafic | dark, dense, and rich in iron and magnesium |
| magma | Melted rock material composed of common elements and fluids that are found below Earth's surface. |
| magnetic | Capable of being attracted by or acquiring the properties of a magnet. |
| metallic luster | Gives a substance the appearance of being made of metal. |
| metamorphic | What type of rock is this? |
| metamorphic rocks | Rocks that have changed because of heat and pressure or because of a chemical reaction that changes one type of rock into another type of rock. |
| mineral | The building blocks of rocks - a solid, inorganic substance that occurs in nature (not man-made). Has a definite chemical composition and atom structure. |
| mohs hardness scale | A scale used to rank a mineral from 1 to 10. |
| non-foliated rocks | A metamorphic rock that does not have parallel layers of mineral grains. |
| nonmetallic luster | Gives a substance the appearance of being made of something other than metal (e.g., glassy, pearly, dull). |
| nutrients | Substances needed for healthy growth and development. |
| organic | of, relating to, or derived from living matter |
| parent horizon (layer C) | -made up of slightly unbroken rock, gravel, sand, clay, and only a little bit of organic material -plant roots are not found in this layer -called the parent layer -brownish-orange in color |
| permeability | A description of how well a rock or sediment lets water pass through. |
| pH | Measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is from 0-14. More acidic solutions, are lower. More alkaline solutions, are higher. Substances that aren't acidic or alkaline are neutral. |
| porosity | A measure of the amount of empty space in a rock or sediment. |
| rock | A mixture of minerals (at least two), rock fragments, volcanic glass, organic matter, and other natural materials. |
| rock cycle | A process that changes one type of rock into another type of rock. |
| sand | A sediment composed of fine rock and mineral particles. It is finer than gravel and coarser than silt. |
| sedimentary | What type of rock is this? |
| sedimentary rocks | Rocks that form when pieces of rocks and minerals get pressed together in layers; oldest layer on the bottom. |
| sediments | Particles or small pieces. Ex: sand, dirt, small bits of rocks. |
| silt | Fine particles of fertile soil. Size is between sand and clay. |
| soil | A mixture of rock, mineral particles, and organic matter that forms at Earth's surface. |
| soil conservation | The management of soil to prevent its destruction |
| soil horizon | A layer parallel to the soil surface, whose physical characteristics differ from the layers above and beneath. |
| streak | The color of a mineral in its powdered form. |
| streak plate | A piece of white, hard plate (called porcelain) |
| subsoil horizon (layer B) | -has clay, mineral deposits, and less organic materials than the layers above it -lighter in color than the layers above it -more dense (compacted) |
| topsoil | An upper layer of soil. Often the richest in plant nutrients. |
| topsoil horizon (layer A) | -made up of minerals, small rocks, inorganic matter, and decomposed organic matter -very dark in color -layer that many plants roots grow in -lighter weight to trap air and water |
| vesicular | Gas pockets found in igneous rocks. |
| weathering | This process breaks rocks down into smaller pieces (sediments). Three types: physical, biological, and chemical. |
Created by:
MrsMakselan
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