Quizlet Geo - Chapters 1 and 2

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  1. Righter scale: uses information collected by seismographs to determine the relative strength of an earthquake.
  2. Ring of Fire: a zone around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
  3. Tectonic Plate: Enormous moving pieces of the earth's lithosphere.
  4. absolute location: cation the exact place on earth where a geographic feature such as a city
  5. atmosphere: the layer of gases surrounding the earth
  6. biosphere: the part of the earth where plants and animals live
  7. cartographer: map maker
  8. chemical weathering: when rock is changed into a new substance
  9. continent: landmasses above water on earth fit together like a huge jigsaw puzzle.
  10. continental drift: the idea that the continents where once one and they drifted apart
  11. continental shelf: the earths surface from the edge of a continent to the deep part of the ocean
  12. core: the center of the earth and is made up of iorn and nickel
  13. crust: thin layer of rock at the earths surface
  14. delta: fan like landform where a river enters an ocean
  15. drainage basin: an area drained by a major river
  16. earthquake: violent movement of the earth.
  17. epicenter: The point directly above the focus of an earthquake on the earth's surface.
  18. equator: the imaginary line that divides the north and south half
  19. erosion: when weathered material is moved by wind, water, ice, or gravity
  20. fault: Beneath the earth's crust.
  21. geography: the study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the earth
  22. gis: stores information about the world in a digital database
  23. glaciation: changing of landforms by slowly moving glaciers
  24. glacier: long-lasting mass of ice
  25. globe: a three dimensional representation of the earth
  26. ground water: water held in pores of rock
  27. hemisphere: each half of the globe
  28. humus: organic material
  29. hydrolic cycle: the continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, oceans, and earth
  30. hydrosphere: the water layer on the earth's surface-
  31. landforms: naturally formed features o the surface of the earth
  32. latitude: imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator
  33. lava: Magma that has reached the earth's surface.
  34. lithosphere: the solid rock portion of the earth's surface
  35. loess: wind blown silt.
  36. longitude: lines that go around the earth over the poles
  37. magma: molten rock
  38. mantle: several layers of core
  39. map: which are two dimensional graphic representations
  40. map projections: is a way of drawing the earths surface that reduces distortion
  41. mechanical weathering: doesn't change composition of rock, only size
  42. moraine: a ridge or hill
  43. prime meridian: the imaginary line that divides the east and west half
  44. relative location: describes a place in comparison to other places around it
  45. relief: the difference of elevation of a land form from its lowest to its highest point
  46. sediment: mud, sand, or silt
  47. seismograph: can detect an earthquakes movement.
  48. solar system: consists of the sun and nine known planets as well as other celestial bodies that orbit the sun
  49. topographic map: a representation of natural and man made features
  50. topography: the combination of the surface shape and composition of the land forms and their distribution
  51. tsunami: A giant wave in the ocean.
  52. volcano: materials that pour out of crack at the earths surface.
  53. water table: the level at which the rock is saturated
  54. weathering: physical and chemical processes that change the characteristics of rock.