 | Term | Definition |
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Rock |
a naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals and organic matter |
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Rock cycle |
the continual process by which new rock form from old rock material |
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Composition |
The chemical makeup of a rock; describes either the minerals or other materials in the rock |
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Texture |
The quality of a rock that is based on the size, shapes, and positions of the rock's grains |
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Intrusive igneous rock |
Rock formed from the cooling and solidification of magma beneath the Earth's surface |
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Extrusive igneous rock |
Rock that forms as a result of volcanic activity at or near the Earth's surface |
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Batholith |
The largest igneous intrusion |
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Sill |
Sheet-like intrusions that are parallel to previous rock units |
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Stock |
Intrusive bodies that are smaller than batholiths |
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Dike |
Sheet-like intrusions that cut across previous rock units |
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Fissure |
Long crack in the Earth's crust |
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Lava flow |
Formed when lava erupts from a volcano |
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Lava plateau |
A plain formed by lava covering a large area |
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Strata |
Layers of rock |
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Stratification |
The process in which sedimentary rocks are arranged in layers |
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Clasitc sedimentary rock |
Rock that forms when clasts (rock and mineral fragments) are cemented together |
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Chemical sedimentary rock |
Rock that forms when materials crystallize out of a solution of minerals and water |
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Organic Sedimentary Rock |
Rock that forms from the remains of one living plants |
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Foliated |
The texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are arranged in plains or bands |
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Nonfoliated |
The texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are not arranged in plains or bands |
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Metamorphism |
the process of rock changing structure, texture, or composition |
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Crust |
The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle |
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Mantle |
The layer of rock between the Earth's crust and core |
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Core |
The central part of the earth below the mantle |
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Lithosphere |
The solid, outer layer of the Earth that consists of the curst and the rigid upper part of the mantle |
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Athesnosphere |
The soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move |
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Mesosphere |
The strong, lower part of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the outer core |
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Outer core |
The liquid layer of the Earth's core that lies beneath the mantle and surrounds the inner core |
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Inner core |
The solid, dense center of our planet that extends from the bottom of the outer core to the center of the Earth |
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sea–floor spreading |
the process by which new oceanic lithosphere forms as magma rises toward the surface and solidifies |
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continental drift |
the hypothesis that states that the continents once formed a single land mass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations |
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magnetic reversal |
when Earth's magnetic poles change places |
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Plate tectonics |
The theory that explains how large piece of the Earth's outer most crust (tectonic plates) move and change shape |
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Convergence |
The collision of two lithospheric plates |
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Divergence |
The separation of two lithospheric plates |
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Transform |
The sliding of two lithospheric plates |
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Global Positioning System |
A system of satellites used to measure the rate of tectonic plate movement |
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Atmosphere |
a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or a moon |
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Air pressure |
the measure of the force with which air molecule push on a surface |
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Troposphere |
The lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature decreases at a constant rate as altitude increases |
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Stratosphere |
The layer of the atmosphere that is above the troposphere and in which temperature increases as altitude increases |
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Mesosphere |
The layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere in which temperature decreases as altitude increases |
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Thermosphere |
The uppermost atmospheric layer in which the temperature increases as altitude increases |
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Ionosphere |
The home of the Auroras. It is made up of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. nitrogen and oxygen absorb harmful solar energy |
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Auroras |
Shimmering lights formed by ions radiating energy |
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Thermal conduction |
the transfer of energy as heat through a material |
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Radiation |
the transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves |
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Convection |
the transfer of thermal energy by the circulation of movement of a liquid or gas |
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Greenhouse effect |
the warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases absorb and reradiate thermal energy |
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Global warming |
a gradual increase in average global temperature |
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Wind |
the movement of air caused by differences in air pressure |
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Current |
A movement that follows a regular pattern |
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Coriolus Effect |
the apparent curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to the Earth's rotation |
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Jet stream |
A narrow belt of strong the blow in the upper troposphere |
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Polar easterlies |
Prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60°and 90° latitude in both hemispheres |
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Westerlies |
Prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30° and 60° latitude in both hemispheres |
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Trade winds |
Prevailing winds that blow northeast from 30° north latitude to the equator and that blow southeast from 30° south latitude to the equator |
