Earth Science Exam

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magma that is a mix of basaltic and rhyolitic; eruption may or may not be explosive

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andesitic magma

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arch-shaped, upward fold in rock

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anticline

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the gaseous layer of a planet usually retained by its gravity

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atmosphere

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magma that has low viscosity and low silica and gas content; eruption is non-explosive

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basaltic magma

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a large mass of hardened igneous rock beneath all layers of sedimentary rock

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batholith

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the system of Earth by which living organisms exist

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biosphere

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volcano formed of volcanic rock and ash; erodes quickly

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cinder cone volcano

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long-term weather patterns of a particular area

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climate

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volcano that is tall and steep; formed of lava and volcanic debris

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composite volcano

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theory proposed by Alfred Wegener that the continents once formed a single supercontinent that broke up and drifted apart

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continental drift

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process of heat transfer by the circulation or movement of a gas, liquid, or plastic material

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convection

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innermost layer of the earth; divided into an inner and outer core

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core

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instrument used to measure volcanic gases

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correlation spectrometer

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the outermost layer that forms the surface of the earth; upper part of the lithosphere

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crust

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the frozen water or ice system of a planet

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cryosphere

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a process creating different layered compositions of a planet

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differentiation

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vertical intrusion of magma between rock layers

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dike

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two opposing forces in balance, where two opposite events are occurring at equal rates

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equilibrium

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line of plants and animals that shows the order in which organisms are eaten

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food chain

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a diagram that shows the connections among food chains in an ecosystem

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food web

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block of rock below the slant of a fault

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footwall

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a lower block of rock between two normal faults

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graben

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a volcanic island under sea that has been cut off by wave erosion

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guyot

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block of rock above the slant of a fault

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hanging wall

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non-explosive eruption

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hawaiian

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an uplifted block of rock between two normal faults

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horst

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a natural and continuous cycle of Earth that recycles and distributes Earth's water; often called the water cycle

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hydrologic cycle

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water system of earth

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hydrosphere

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intrusive rock that pushes its way between sedimentary strata in the shape of a dome

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laccolith

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molten rock on earth's surface

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lava

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crustal layer of earth

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lithosphere

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measure of the total amount of energy released during an earthquake

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magnitude

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middle layer of earth

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mantle

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scale that measures the effects or severity of an earthquake

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mercalli intensity scale

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solid, inorganic substance with crystalline structure

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mineral

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newer magnitude scale that measures the amount of moved (displaced) rock along a fault to determine the strength of an earthquake

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moment magnitude scale

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a ramp-like fold between flat rock layers at different elevations

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monocline

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fault that occurs when two tectonic plates are moving apart from each other; the hanging wall drops relative to the footwall

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normal fault

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supercontinent which connected the landmasses of the southern and northern hemispheres

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pangaea

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meaning "all seas"; name of the single, large ocean that surrounded Pangaea

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panthalassa

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the theory that the lithosphere is broken into pieces that float on the asthenosphere

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plate tectonics

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explosive eruption

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plinian

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volcanic flow with rocks, ashes, and gases

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pyroclastic

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fault that occurs when two tectonic plates collide; the hanging wall rises relative to the footwall

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reverse fault

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magma that has a high viscosity and high silica and gas content; eruption tends to be very explosive

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rhyolitic

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scale of magnitude based on the size of seismic waves produced by an earthquake

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richter scale

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cliff-like landform created by normal fault

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scarp

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process by which the Earth's lithospheric plates pull apart from each other, creating gaps that are filled with magma from the asthenosphere

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seafloor spreading

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underwater volcano

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seamount

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volcano that has tall, broad slopes; formed by repeated, gradual lava flows

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shield

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instrument used to record and measure vibrations from earthquakes or earth tremors

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seismograph

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horizontal intrusion of magma between rock layers

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sill

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fault that occurs when two tectonic plates are sliding sideways against each other in opposite directions

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strike-slip fault

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an intermittent explosive volcanic eruption

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strombolian eruption

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sinking of one tectonic plate beneath another

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subduction

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u-shaped, downward fold in rock

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syncline

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natural and continuous cycle of Earth that recycles Earth's lithospheric plates

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tectonic cycle

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study of energy and its transformations

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thermodynamics

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tool used to measure ground swelling

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tiltmeter

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ability of a substance to resist flowing

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viscosity

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eroded volcanic feature that formed from magma cooling in the central vent of a volcano

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volcanic neck

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compressional stress of two continental plates colliding and pushing Earth's crust high into the air

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folded rock

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occurs where a lot of normal faults are located; uplifting of rock layers produces tensional stress; one block of rock pushed upward and an adjacent block drops off; instead of folding, they break into large blocks

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fault-block mountain

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wearing away or grinding by friction

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abrasion

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gaseous layer of a planet

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atmosphere

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water that flows back into the ocean after a wave has broken

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backwash

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organic material made from plants and animals

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biomass

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living organisms of earth

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biosphere

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an individual grain or particle in sed. rock

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clast

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how a crystal breaks or splits when stressed

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cleavage

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instrument used to measure volcanic gases

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correlation spectrometer

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triangular deposition of fine, fertile soil at the mouth of a river

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delta

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placement of weathered rock and sediment by erosion

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deposition

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process of dissolving

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dissolution

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transport and deposition of weathered rock

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erosion

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long, narrow bay created when ocean water fills a glaciated valley

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fjord

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semi-dark line that indicates the ridge of a fold on a geologic map

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fold axis

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shows locations and types of rocks and other features, like faults and folds

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geologic map

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teeth-like marks on contour lines that indicate a depression or sunken area

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hachure marks

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having a uniform structure or composition

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homogenous

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layer of distinct soil

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horizon

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chemical reaction involving ions in water

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hydrolysis

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use of water to generate electricity

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hydropower

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the cool, rigid shell that includes the crust and uppermost mantle; composed of plates that move around on the underlying, plastic asthenosphere

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lithosphere

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fertile accumulation of soil and sediment deposited by wind

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loess

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downhill movement of rock and sediment caused by gravity

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mass wasting

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substance which enables the transport of weathered rock and sediment

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medium

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compound of carbon and hydrogen

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methane

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accumulation of unsorted rock and sediment deposited by a glacier

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moraine

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unable to be recycled or replenished in a short period of time

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nonrenewable

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the process by which oxygen combines with food to release energy and carbon dioxide

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respiration

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when wind lifts sediment off the ground and carries it a short distance

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saltation

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weathered rock, bone fragments, soil, and other particles carried by wind, water, and ice

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sediment

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top layer of mineral and organic material on Earth's surface

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soil

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chemical sedimentary rock hanging from the ceiling of a cave

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stalactite

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state in which small, light particles are mixed with, but not dissolved in, a fluid or solid.

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suspension

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water that flows onto the shore after a wave has broken

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swash

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angular pile of broken rock found at the bottom of a mountain

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talus

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velocity at which sediment is deposited by wind

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terminal fall velocity

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velocity required to transport sediment by wind

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threshold velocity

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also known as a contour map; shows shape, steepness, and height of ground features by using contour lines

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topographic map

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series of destructive ocean waves caused by vibrations in Earth's crust

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tsunami

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row of trees or shrubs used to reduce the force of wind

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windbreak

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Any place _______ a contour line is a _______ elevation than the contour line and any place ________ a contour line is a ______ elevation than the contour line.

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inside, higher, outside, lower

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for _________, this rule is the opposite

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hachure marks

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5 things that make minerals minerals:

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must occur naturally,
must be inorganic,
must have crystalline structure,
must be solid,
must be homogenous

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4 factors that determine soil formation

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climate, topography, living organisms, parent material

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2 processes of mass wasting

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slope failure, sediment flow

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3 processes of slope failure

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slide, slump, fall

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2 processes of sediment flow

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mudflow, creep