Harrison Science Midterm

Front 1

troposphere-

Back 1

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs.

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stratosphere-

Back 2

The second-lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere; the ozone layer is located in the upper stratosphere.

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mesosphere-

Back 3

The middle layer of Earth's atmosphere; the layer in which most meteoroids burn up.

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thermosphere-

Back 4

The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere.

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ionosphere-

Back 5

The lower part of the thermosphere, where electrically charged particles called ions are found.

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aurora borealis-

Back 6

A colorful, glowing display in the sky caused when particles from the sun strike oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the ionosphere; also called the Northern Lights.

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exosphere-

Back 7

The outer layer of the thermosphere, extending outward into space.

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weathering-

Back 8

The chemical and physical processes that break down rock at Earth's surface.

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erosion-

Back 9

The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves fragments of rock and soil.

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mechanical weathering-

Back 10

The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.

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abrasion-

Back 11

The grinding away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice, or wind.

Front 12

ice wedging-

Back 12

Process that splits rock when water seeps into cracks, then freezes and expands.

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chemical weathering-

Back 13

The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.

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permeable-

Back 14

Characteristic of materials such as sand and gravel that allow water to pass easily through them.

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sediment-

Back 15

Small, solid particles of material from rocks or organisms which are moved by water or wind, resulting in erosion and deposition.

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deposition-

Back 16

The process by which sediment settles out of the water or wind that is carrying it, and is deposited in a new location.

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mass movement-

Back 17

Any one of several processes by which gravity moves sediment downhill.

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runoff-

Back 18

Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground.

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rill-

Back 19

A tiny groove in soil made by flowing water.

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gully-

Back 20

A large channel in soil formed by erosion.

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stream-

Back 21

A channel through which water is continually flowing downhill.

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river-

Back 22

A large stream.

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tributary-

Back 23

A stream that flows into a larger stream.

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drainage basin-

Back 24

The land area from which a river and its tributaries collect their water.

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divide-

Back 25

A ridge of land that separates one drainage basin or watershed from another.

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flood plain-

Back 26

A broad, flat valley through which a river flows.

Front 27

meander-

Back 27

A looping curve formed in a river as it winds through its flood plain.

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oxbow lake-

Back 28

The crescent-shaped, cutoff body of water that remains after a river carves a new channel.

Front 29

alluvial fan-

Back 29

A wide, sloping deposit of sediment formed where a stream leaves a mountain range.

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delta-

Back 30

A landform made of sediment that is deposited where a river flows into an ocean or lake.

Front 31

groundwater-

Back 31

Water that fills the cracks and pores in underground soil and rock layers.

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stalactite-

Back 32

A calcite deposit that hangs from the roof of a cave.

Front 33

stalagmite-

Back 33

A cone-shaped calcite deposit that builds up from the floor of a cave.

Front 34

karst topography-

Back 34

A type of landscape in rainy regions where there is limestone near the surface, characterized by caverns, sinkholes, and valleys.

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energy-

Back 35

The ability to do work or cause change.

Front 36

potential energy-

Back 36

Energy that is stored and available to be used later.

Front 37

kinetic energy-

Back 37

The form of energy an object has because of its motion.

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load-

Back 38

The amount of sediment that a river or stream carries.

Front 39

friction-

Back 39

The force that opposes the motion of one surface as it moves across another surface.

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turbulence-

Back 40

A type of movement of water in which, rather than moving downstream, the water moves every which way.

Front 41

glacier-

Back 41

A huge mass of ice and snow that moves slowly over the land.

Front 42

valley glacier-

Back 42

A long, narrow glacier that forms when snow and ice build up in a mountain valley.

Front 43

continental glacier-

Back 43

A glacier that covers much of a continent or large island.

Front 44

ice ages-

Back 44

Cold time periods in Earth's history, during which glaciers covered large parts of the surface.

Front 45

plucking-

Back 45

The process by which a glacier picks up rocks as it flows over the land.

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till-

Back 46

The sediments deposited directly by a glacier.

Front 47

moraine-

Back 47

A ridge formed by the till deposited at the edge of a glacier.

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kettle-

Back 48

A small depression that forms when a chunk of ice is left in glacial till.

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beach-

Back 49

Wave-washed sediment along a coast.

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longshore drift-

Back 50

The movement of water and sediment along a beach caused by waves coming into shore at an angle.

Front 51

spit-

Back 51

A beach formed by longshore drift that projects like a finger out into the water.

Front 52

sand dune-

Back 52

A deposit of wind-blown sand.

Front 53

deflation-

Back 53

Wind erosion that removes surface materials.

Front 54

loess-

Back 54

A wind-formed deposit made of fine particles of clay and silt.