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120 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abrasion
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Rubbing together
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absolute zero
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Temperature at which all motion stops
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air mass
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A large body of air with similar characteristics throughout
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altitude
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The angular distance of a celestrial object above the horizon
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air pressure
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The weight of overlying air.
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anemometer
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Insturment used to measure wind speed.
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anomalies
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Something out of the ordinary. Unlikely to be repeated
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asteriod
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A solid rocky or metallic object that orbits the sun.
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asthenosphere
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A layer of Earth that acts like think plastic
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atmosphere
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The shell of gases that surround the Earth.
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barometer
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Instrument used to measure air pressure.
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capillarity
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The ability of water to rise in small openings.
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climate
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Long term weather patterns.
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comet
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Compared to a dirty snoball. Has a tail when gets too close to the sun.
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condensation
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Changing from a gas to a liquid.
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conduction
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The transfer of energy through the collision of molecules in solids.
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constellation
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A group of stars that form a pattern in the sky.
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contour interval
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How much each line is worth on a topographic map.
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contour line
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Connect points of equal elevation.
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convection
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The transfer of energy due to differences in density in liquids and gases.
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convergent
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Coming together.
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coriolis effect
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A deflection of materials caused by Earth's rotation.
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correlation
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Matching up rock outcrops based on similar characteristics.
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cyclic
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Events occuring in a predictable pattern.
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cyclone
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A low pressure center.
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deforestation
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The cutting down of trees.
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density
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How tightly packed the atoms are in an object.
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depleted
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To be used up.
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deposition
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To drop off due to a decrease in velocity.
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dew point
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The temperature at which condensation occurs.
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discharge
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How much water is flowing in a stream/river.
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divergent
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Moving apart.
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doppler effect
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An apparent change in wavelength caused by a change in distance between two objects.
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duration
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A length of time.
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dynamic equilibrium
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A balance between equal forces.
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eccentricity
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Out of roundness.
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eclipse
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Occurs when celestrial objects move into another's shadow.
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elevation
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The height above sea level.
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ellipse
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A closed curve around two points.
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epicenter
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The place on Earth's surface directly above the focus.
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erosion
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To pick up due to an increase in velocity.
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evaportranspiration
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All water that enters the atmosphere.
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focus
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A fixed point or the actual spot in the Earth's crust where an earthquake originates.
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foucault pendulum
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A device which provides eviodence that the Earth rotates.
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front
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An interface (boundary) between two air masses.
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galaxy
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A large groupiong of stars.
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geocentric model
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Earth-centered.
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gradient
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Steepness. Slope.
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greenhouse effect
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The trapping of infrared energy in the Earth's atmosphere.
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depression
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Show areas of decreasing elevation.
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heliocentric
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Sun-centtered.
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hydrology
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The study of water.
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hydrosphere
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The layer of water on the Earth's surface.
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impermeable
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Does not allow water to flow through.
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index fossils
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Best way to correlate rock layers.
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inference
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An educated guess. An hypothesis.
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infiltration
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To seep through due to gravity.
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intensity
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The strength of something.
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interface
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A boundary across which energy is exchanged.
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isobar
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Lines copnnecting points of equal pressure.
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isotherm
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Lines connecting points of equal temperature.
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isotopes
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A different form of an element differing only in mass.
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kinetic energy
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Energy in motion.
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latitude
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The angular distnace north or south of the Equator.
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lithosphere
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The solid ground that we walk on.
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local time
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Equal for all locations on the same meridian (line of longitude).
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longitude
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The angular distance east or west of the prime Meridian.
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luminosity
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The brightness of an object.
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mass
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The amount of matter (atoms) in an object.
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meander
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A bend in a river or stream.
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meteor
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Also called a shooting star.
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meteorology
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The study of weather.
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model
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A representation of a system.
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orographic effect
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The effect that mountains have on precipitation patterns.
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outcrop
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Bedrock that can be seen on the Earth's surface.
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outgassing
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The escaping of water vapor from Earth's crust.
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ozone
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A gas found in the Earth's atmosphere (O3).
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percent deviation
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The amount of error in a measurement.
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permeable
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Allows water to flow through.
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porosity
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The amount of space between particles.
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potential energy
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Stored energy.
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pecipitation
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Any form of water that falls to the earth.
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principle of superposition
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Oldest layers on the bottom.
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principle of uniformitarianism
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Those things that occurred in the past are also occuring today.
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profile
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A side view of a topographic map.
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psychrometer
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Instrument used to measure relative humidity and dew p;oint.
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p-wave
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The first wave to arrive after an earthquake occurs.
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radiation
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The transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves.
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rate of change
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How much something changes over time.
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refraction
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The bending of energy.
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relative humidity
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The percentage of the air that is filled with water.
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revolution
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Thje amount of time to go once around the sun.
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rotation
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Spinning on an axis.
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saturated
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Filled with water.
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solar system
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Made up of a star and all the objects which revolve around it.
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solidification
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Changing from a liquid to a solid.
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specific heat
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The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance 1 degree C.
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strata
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Layers of bedrock.
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s-wave
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The last wave to arrive after an earthquake occurs.
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tectonics
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A study of the Earth's crustal movements.
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temperature
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A measure of the average kinectic energy.
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tides
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Rising and falling of the oceans caused by the moon's gravitational attraction to the Earth.
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transpiration
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Release of water from plants.
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tsunami
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A large tidal wave caused by an earthquake.
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unconformity
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A buried erosional surface.
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universe
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Everything that exists.
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vaporization
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Changing from a liquid to a gas.
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volume
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The amount of space an object takes up.
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water table
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The interface between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation.
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weathering
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To break down.
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zenith
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The highest point.
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zone of aeration
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The portion of the soil which is filled with air.
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zone of saturation
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The portion of the soil which is filled with water.
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age of the solar system
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4.5 billion years
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age of the Earth
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4.5 billion years
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age of the universe
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11 to 12 billion years
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abundant
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In great quantities.
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half-life
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The amount of time that it takes for one half of a substance to become stable.
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landscape
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A section of land with similar characteristics.
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lava
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Magma that came to the
surface. |
