Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Big Idea 6
Earth Structures
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Rock cycle | The continuous process that changes rocks from one type to another over time |
| Igneous rock | Rock formed when magma or lava cools and hardens |
| Sedimentary rock | Rock formed from sediments that are compacted and cemented together |
| Metamorphic rock | Rock changed by heat and pressure inside Earth |
| Magma | Melted rock beneath Earth’s surface |
| Lava | Melted rock that reaches Earth’s surface |
| Sediment | Small pieces of rock, minerals, or organic material |
| Compaction | A process that increases the density of soil or other materials by reducing the space between particles usually by applying force |
| Cementation | The process where dissolved minerals crystallize and glue particles of sediment together into a larger mass, forming sedimentary rock |
| Erosion | The movement of weathered rock/soil/sediment by wind, water, ice, or gravity from one place to another |
| Deposition | The dropping of sediments in a new location |
| Runoff | Water that flows over land into streams, rivers, or lakes |
| Weathering | The breakdown of rock into smaller pieces |
| Mechanical weathering | Breaking rock into smaller pieces without changing its composition |
| Chemical weathering | Changing rock by chemical reactions, often involving water or acids |
| Water flow | The movement of water across land or through rivers and streams |
| Glacier | A large, slow-moving mass of ice on land |
| Mountain | A large landform that rises high above surrounding land |
| Valley | A low area between hills or mountains |
| Cliff | A steep rock face |
| Lake | A body of water surrounded by land |
| River | A large natural stream of flowing water |
| Delta | Land formed by sediments deposited where a river enters a larger body of water |
| Coastlines | Areas where land meets the ocean |
| Dunes | Hills of sand formed by wind |
| Desertification | Fertile land becoming desert-like, often due to drought or human activity |
| Deforestation | The clearing or removal of forests |
| Urbanization | The growth of cities and developed land |
| Air/Water Quality | A measure of how clean or polluted air or water is |
| Geologic Time Scale | A timeline of Earth’s history divided into sections based on major events |
| Era -> Period -> Epoch | Units of geologic time; ordered from largest period of time to the smallest |
| Fossil | Preserved remains or evidence of ancient life |
| Index fossil | A fossil used to determine the age of rock layers |
| Trace fossil | Evidence of an organism’s activity, such as footprints or burrows |
| Coprolite | Fossilized animal waste |
| Amber | Hardened tree resin that can preserve ancient organisms such as insects or plant material |
| Intrusion | Igneous rock formed when magma cools inside existing rock |
| Extinction | When all members of a species die out |
| Law of Superposition | In undisturbed rock layers, older layers are below younger layers |
| Geology | The study of Earth’s materials, structure, and history |
| Absolute Dating | Finding the actual age of a rock or fossil in years |
| Radioactive Dating | A type of absolute dating using radioactive elements |
| Relative Dating | Determining whether rocks are older or younger than others |
| Plate Tectonic Theory | The scientific theory that Earth’s lithosphere is broken into large, rigid pieces called tectonic plates that move slowly over the softer mantle beneath them. |
| Tectonic plates | Large pieces of Earth’s lithosphere that move slowly |
| Continental Drift Theory | The idea that continents once formed one landmass and moved apart |
| Pangea | The ancient supercontinent that later split apart |
| Continent | One of Earth’s large landmasses |
| Plate boundary | The place where two tectonic plates meet |
| Convergent boundary | A plate boundary where two tectonic plates move toward each other. This can cause mountains, volcanoes, or trenches to form. Example: Himalayas formed when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. |
| Divergent boundary | A plate boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other. This allows magma to rise and create new crust. Example: Mid-Atlantic Ridge where new seafloor is forming. |
| Transform boundary | A plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This movement often causes earthquakes. Example: San Andreas Fault where the Pacific Plate and North American Plate slide past each other. |
| Subduction | The process in which one tectonic plate, usually an oceanic plate, is forced beneath another plate and sinks into the mantle. This can form deep-ocean trenches, volcanoes, and earthquakes. |
| Crust | Earth’s thin outer solid layer |
| Lithosphere | The rigid outer layer made of the crust and upper mantle |
| Mantle | Thick layer of hot rock beneath the crust |
| Inner core | The innermost layer of Earth, made mostly of solid iron and nickel. It is extremely hot and under great pressure, which keeps it solid despite the high temperature |
| Outer core | The layer surrounding the inner core, made mostly of liquid iron and nickel. The movement of this liquid metal helps create Earth’s magnetic field. |
| Fault | A crack in Earth’s crust where movement occurs |
| Earthquake | Shaking of Earth caused by sudden movement along a fault |
| Seismic waves | Energy waves produced by earthquakes |
| Epicenter | Point on Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s focus |
| Volcano | An opening in Earth’s crust where lava, gas, and ash escape |
| Oceanic crust | Thin, dense crust beneath oceans |
| Sea-floor spreading | New ocean crust forming at mid-ocean ridges and moving outward |
| Mid-ocean ridge | Underwater mountain chain where new crust forms |
| Trench | Deep valley on the ocean floor formed at subduction zones |
| Rift valley | Valley formed where land pulls apart at a divergent boundary |
| Continental slope | Steep drop-off from the continental shelf to deep ocean floor |
| Continental shelf | Shallow underwater edge of a continent |
| Abyssal plain | Flat area of the deep ocean floor |
| Seamount | Underwater volcanic mountain |
| Volcanic island | Island formed by volcanoes rising above sea level |
| Hydrothermal vent | Opening on the ocean floor where hot, mineral-rich water escapes |
Created by:
Ms. Wilhjelm
Popular Earth Science sets