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Earth's Structure
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; all atoms of an element have the same atomic number |
| 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 elements 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 surface |
| 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.(Earth science) The change of state from a gas directly to a solid.(physical science) |
| 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 forms again by geologic processes. |
| uplift | The rising of regions of the earth's crust to higher elevations |
| subsidence | The rising of regions of the Earth's crust to higher elevations. |
| rift zone | An area of deep crack s that forms between two tectonic plates that are pulling away from each other |
| crust | The thin and solid outer most layer of Earth above the mantle |
| mantle | The layer of rock between the Earth's crust and core. |
| convection | The movement of mater due to differneces in density; the transfer of energy due to the movement of matter |
| core | The central part of Earth below the mantle. |
| lithosphere | The solid, outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper parts of the mantle. |
| asthenosphere | The soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move. |
| mesosphere | 1. he strong, lower part of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the outer core, 2. The layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in which temperature decreases as altitude increases |
| pangaea | The supercontinent that formed 300 million years ago and that began to break 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 bending, tilting, and breaking of Earth's crust; the change in the shape of rock in response to stress. |
| folding | The bending of rock layers due to . |
| 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 direction, pushing parts of a solid in opposite directions. |
| tension | Stress that occurs when forces act to starch an object |
| compression | stress that occurs when forces act to squeeze an object |
| 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 Earth's surface. |
| lava | magma that flows onto Earth's surface; the rock that forms when lava cools and solidifies. |
| 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 plates boundary. |
| earthquake | A movement or trembling of the ground that is caused b 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 earth quake occurs. |
| epicenter | The point of Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's staring 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. |