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History of Earth
English
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Continental Crust | The thick, older part of Earth's crust that forms the continents, composed mostly of granite and other light-colored rocks, and is typically much older than oceanic crust. |
| Oceanic Crust | The thinner, younger part of Earth's crust that forms the ocean floors, composed mainly of basalt and created at mid-ocean ridges through plate tectonics. |
| Plate Tectonics | The scientific theory explaining the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates on the semi-fluid asthenosphere, driving the formation and recycling of crustal rocks. |
| Crustal Rocks | Rocks that make up Earth's crust, both continental and oceanic, whose ages provide evidence for the movements of tectonic plates and the processes of plate tectonics. |
| Mid-Ocean Ridges | Underwater mountain ranges where new oceanic crust is formed as tectonic plates spread apart, resulting in younger rocks near the ridge and older rocks farther away. |
| Plate Spreading | The process by which tectonic plates move apart at mid-ocean ridges, leading to the creation of new oceanic crust and the gradual movement of existing crust away from the ridge. |
| Ages of Oceanic Crust | The increasing age of oceanic crust as it moves away from mid-ocean ridges, serving as evidence for the process of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics. |
| North American Continental Crust | The crust forming the North American continent, characterized by an ancient central core surrounded by younger crust, reflecting a history of complex plate interactions. |
| Plate Interaction | The various ways tectonic plates interact, including spreading, subduction, collision, and sliding past each other, which shape the Earth's crust and influence the ages of rocks. |
| Evidence of Plate Movements | Geological data, such as the age distribution of crustal rocks, patterns of earthquakes, and volcanic activity, that support the theory of plate tectonics and explain the movement of continental and oceanic crust. |
| Ancient Earth Material | The oldest rocks and minerals on Earth, some over 4 billion years old, which provide clues about the conditions and processes during Earth's early history. |
| Meteorites | Fragments of rock and metal from space that have fallen to Earth, providing valuable information about the early solar system and the materials that formed Earth. |
| Planetary Surfaces | The outer layers of planets, including Earth, the Moon, and Mars, which hold records of impact cratering and other geological processes from the early solar system. |
| Earth’s Formation | The process by which Earth formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago from the accretion of dust and gas in the early solar system, leading to the development of its core, mantle, and crust. |
| Early History of Earth | The period following Earth's formation, characterized by intense volcanic activity, frequent meteorite impacts, and the gradual cooling and solidification of the planet's surface. |
| Solar System | The collection of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other objects orbiting the Sun, which formed from a rotating cloud of gas and dust about 4.6 billion years ago. |
| Absolute Ages | The actual age of rocks or other materials, determined through radiometric dating methods, which measure the decay of radioactive isotopes to establish the time since formation. |
| Radiometric Dating | A technique used to determine the age of rocks and other materials by measuring the ratios of radioactive isotopes and their decay products, providing a timeline for Earth's history. |
| Cratering Record | The history of impact craters on planetary surfaces, which provides evidence of the frequency and intensity of meteorite impacts in the early solar system and helps to reconstruct Earth's early environment. |
| Accretion | The process by which particles and small bodies in the early solar system gradually combined under gravity to form larger planetary bodies, including Earth. |
| Model | A representation, often visual or computational, used to explain and predict the behavior of complex systems, such as Earth's internal and surface processes. |
| Internal Processes | Geological activities occurring within Earth's interior, like tectonic plate movement, volcanism, and mountain building, that shape the Earth's surface over time. |
| Surface Processes | Natural activities occurring on Earth's surface, including weathering, erosion, and deposition, that alter landforms and sea-floor features. |
| Spatial Scales | The size or extent of an area over which geological processes occur, ranging from local (e.g., a single mountain) to global (e.g., entire tectonic plates). |
| Temporal Scales | The timeframes over which geological processes take place, from rapid events like volcanic eruptions to slow changes like mountain formation over millions of years. |
| Continental Features | Landforms found on Earth's continents, such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus, formed by a combination of internal and surface processes. |
| Ocean-Floor Features | Geological structures found on the ocean floor, like mid-ocean ridges, trenches, and seamounts, created by processes like seafloor spreading and subduction. |
| Constructive Processes | Natural processes that build up Earth's surface features, including volcanism (formation of new land from lava), tectonic uplift (raising of land), and deposition (accumulation of sediments). |
| Destructive Processes | Natural processes that break down or remove surface features, such as weathering (breaking down of rocks), subduction (sinking of oceanic crust), and coastal erosion (wearing away of coastlines). |
| Volcanism | The process by which magma from Earth's interior reaches the surface, creating volcanic landforms and contributing to the formation of new crust. |
| Tectonic Uplift | The upward movement of Earth's crust, often forming mountains and plateaus, caused by the collision and movement of tectonic plates. |
| Deposition | The accumulation of sediments carried by wind, water, or ice, which can build up landforms like deltas, sand dunes, and alluvial fans. |
| Weathering | The breakdown of rocks at Earth's surface through physical, chemical, or biological means, leading to the gradual wearing away of landforms. |
| Subduction | The process where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another into Earth's mantle, often creating deep ocean trenches and volcanic activity. |
| Coastal Erosion | The gradual removal of coastal land by wave action, tides, and currents, reshaping shorelines and contributing to the loss of coastal features. |
Created by:
Ms. Torres
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