Term | Definition |
Weathering | Process of rocks in Earths crust slowly being broken into smaller pieces. |
Erosion | Process of carrying away weathered bits of rock |
Deposition | Laying down of pieces of rock during erosion. |
Landform | A natural land feature on earths surface. |
Physical weathering | Rocks are broken into smaller pieces of the same kind of rock. |
Igneous rocks | Rocks that form from molten rock. |
Hardness | How easily the surface of a mineral can be scratched. |
Earthquakes | The sudden movement that causes Earths crust to shake |
Volcanoes | A landform that forms at an opening in Earths crust where magma reaches the surface. |
Landslides | The rapid downhill movement of a large amount of rock and soil. |
Glaciers | A large body of slowly moving ice. They form when more snow falls than melts in an area. |
Chemical weathering | Chemicals cause rocks to change into different materials and break down. |
Sedimentary rocks | Form when layers of sediments settle on top of one another and harden. |
Streak | The color of the powder that a mineral leaves when it is scratched across a special plate |
Precipitation | Any form of water that falls to earth. |
Water cycle | The movement of water from earths surface to the atmosphere and back again. |
Minerals | Natural, no living solid crystals that make up rocks. |
Fault | A break or crack in rocks where Earths crust can move suddenly. |
Epicenter | The point on earths surface that is directly above the focus during earthquakes. |
Metamorphic rocks | Rocks that have changed as a result of heat and pressure. |
Cleavage | Property of minerals to break along smooth flat surfaces. |