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Earth's Structures
Unit 6
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mineral | A natural, usually inorganic solid that has a characteristic chemical composition and an orderly internal structure. |
| Element | A substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. |
| Atom | The smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that element. |
| Compound | A substance made up of atoms or ions of two or more different element joined by chemical bonds. |
| Matter | Anything that has mass and takes up space. |
| Crystal | Natural solid substance that has a definite geometric shape. |
| Streak | The color of a mineral in powdered form. |
| Luster | The way in which a mineral reflects light. |
| Cleavage | In geology, the tendency of a mineral to split along specific planes of weakness to form smooth, flat surfaces. |
| Weathering | The natural process by which atmospheric and environmental agents, such as wind, rain, and temperature changes, disintegrate and decompose rocks. |
| Erosion | The process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another. |
| Deposition | The process in which material is laid down. |
| Igneous Rock | Rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies. |
| Sedimentary Rock | A rock that forms from compressed or cemented layers of sediment. |
| Metamorphic Rock | A rock that forms from other rocks as a result of intense heat, pressure, or chemical processes. |
| Rock Cycle | The series of processes in which rock forms, changes from one type to another, is destroyed, and form again by geologic processes. |
| Uplift | The rising of regions of the Earth's crust to higher elevations. |
| Subsidence | The sinking of regions of the Earth's crust to lower elevations. |
| Rift Zone | An area of deep cracks that forms between two tectonic plates that are pulling away from each other. |
| Crust | The thin and solid outermost layer of Earth above the mantle. |
| Mantle | The layer of rock between the Earth's crust and core. |
| Convection | The movement of matter due to differences in density; the transfer of energy due to the movement of matter. |
| Core | The central part of Earth between the mantle. |
| Lithosphere | The solid, outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle. |
| Asthenosphere | `The soft layer of the mantle which the tectonic plates move. |
| Mesosphere | The strong, lower part of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the outer core. |
| Pangea | The super continent that formed 300 million years ago and that began to break up 200 million years ago. |
| Sea-Floor Spreading | The process by which new oceanic lithosphere (sea floor) forms when magma rises to Earth's surface at mid-ocean ridges and solidifies, as older, existing sea floor moves away from the ridge. |
| Plate Tectonics | The theory that explains how large pieces of the lithosphere, called plates, move and change shape. |
| Tectonic Plates | A block of lithosphere that consists of the crust and the rigid, outermost part of the mantle. |
| Convergent Boundary | The boundary between tectonic plates that are colliding. |
| Divergent Boundary | The boundary between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other. |
| Transform Boundary | The boundary between tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally. |
| Deformation | The change in the shape of rock in response to stress. |
| Folding | The bending of rock layers due to stress. |
| Fault | A break in a body of rock along which one block moves relative to another. |
| Shear Stress | Stress that occurs when forces act in parallel but opposite directions, pushing parts of a solid in opposite directions. |
| Tension | Stress that occurs when forces act to stretch an object. |
| Compression | Stress that occurs when forces act to squeeze an object. |
| Earthquake | A movement or trembling of the ground that is caused by a sudden release of energy when rocks along a fault move. |
| Focus | The location within Earth along a fault at which the first motion of an Earthquake occurs. |
| Epicenter | The point on Earth's surface directly above and earthquake's starting point, or focus. |
| Tectonic Plate Boundary | The edge between two or more plates classified as divergent, convergent, or transform by the movement taking place between the plates. |
| Elastic Rebound | The sudden return of elastically deformed rock to its undeformed shape. |
| Volcano | A vent or fissure in Earth's surface through which magma and gases are expelled. |
| Magma | The molten or partially molten rock material containing trapped gases produced under the Earth's surface. |
| Lava | Magma that flows onto Earth's surface. |
| Vent | An opening at the surface of the Earth through which volcanic material passes. |
| Hot Spot | A volcanically active area of Earth's surface, commonly far from a tectonic plate boundary. |
Created by:
Sidney Perkins