Upgrade to remove ads
Only $2.99/month

science vocabulary structure and processes

Terms in this set (41)

volcano
A weak spot in the crust where magma has come to the surface
magma
The molten mixture of rock forming substances, gases, and water from the mantle
lava
liquid magma that reaches the surface, also the rock formed when liquid magma hardens
vent
opening through which molten rock and gas leave a volcano
ring of fire
A major belt of volcanoes that rims the Pacific ocean
pahoehoe
a hot fast moving type of lava that hardens to form smooth rope like coils
pipe
A long tube through which magma moves from the magma chamber to earth's surface
pyroclastic flow
The expulsion of ash cinders bombs and gases during an explosive volcanic irruption
Island arc
A string of islands formed by the volcanoes along a deep ocean trench
lava flow
The area covered by lava as it pours out of a volcanoes vent
Hot spot
an area where magma from deep within the mantle melts through the crust above it
dormant
said of a volcano that does not show signs of erupting in the near future
Crater
A bowl shaped area the forms around a volcanoes central opening
aa
A slow moving type of lava that hardens to form rough chunks; cooler than pahoehoe
Active
said of a volcano that is a erupting or has shown signs of erupting in the near future
shield volcano
lava flows out gradually building a wide gentle sloping mountain
Cindercone volcano
when lava has high viscosity it produces Ash, cinders and bombs which all build up around the vent in a steep, cone shaped hill or small mountain
composite volcano
tall cone shaped mountains in which layers of lava alternate with layers of Ash
lava plateau
high level area built up over time from lava seeping out of several cracks then traveling a distance before cooling and solidifying; also known as a fissure volcano
caldera
huge hole left by the collapse of a volcanic mountain
volcanic necks
forms when magma hardens in volcanoes pipe; softer rock around pipe where's away exposing rock
dikes
formed when magma forces itself across rock layers and hardens
sill
when magma squeezes between horizontal rock layers
batholith
mass of rock formed when a large body of magma cools inside the crust
dome mountain
forms when an uplift pushes a batholith or smaller body of hardened magma toward the surface
geothermal activity
occurs when magma a few kilometers beneath earths surface heats underground water
Hot spring
when groundwater is heated by a nearby body of magma or hot rock and eventually rises to the surface to collect in a natural pool
Geyser
Fountain of water and steam that erupts from the ground when buildup of pressure is released
earthquake
The shaking that results from the movement of rock beneath the earth's surface
stress
A force that acts on rock to change its shape or volume
Shearing
stress that pushes rock in opposite directions
tension
stress that stretches rock so that it becomes thinner in the middle
compression
stress that squeezes rock until it folds or breaks
deformation
A change in the volume or shape of earths crust
fault
A break in the earths crust where slabs of rock slip past each other
strike slip fault
A type of fault where rocks on either side move past each other sideways with little up or down motion
normal fault
A type of fault where the hanging wall slides downward; caused by tension in the crust
reverse fault
A type of fault where the hanging wall slides upward
fault block mountains
A mountain that forms where a normal fault uplifts a block of rock
fold
A bend in the rock that forms where part of earths crust is compressed
plateau
A large area of fault land elevated high above sea level
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...