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40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Atmosphere |
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet |
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Biospere |
The regions of the surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere of the earth (or analogous parts of other planets) occupied by living organisms. |
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Cementation |
The process in which sediments are glued together by minerals that are deposited by water. |
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Chemical weathering |
The erosion or disintegration of rocks caused chemical reactions rather than by mechanical processes that results in the formation of a new type of rock. |
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Climate |
The average pattern of weather that occurs in a certain location over many years. |
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Coastlines |
The outline of a coast, especially with regard to its shape and appearance. |
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Compaction |
The process in which sediment is squeezed together, and in which the size of the space between sediment grains is reduced by the weight and pressure of overlying layers.the |
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Composition |
The elements, molecules, or compounds (substances) that make up a sample of matter. |
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Condensation |
The process by which water is changed from a gas (water vapor) to a liquid; a stage of the water cycle |
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Cryosphere |
Portion of the Earth system composed of ice (frozen water) |
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Decomposition |
The breakdown of rock into more stable forms. |
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Deltas |
An area of low, flat land shaped like a triangle, where a river deposits eroded sediment to form new land. |
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Deposition |
The geological process in which sediments, soil, and rocks are laid down on (added to) a landform or land mass. |
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Dunes |
A hill of loose sand built by aeolian processes( wind) or the flow of water |
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Erosion |
The process by which rock, soil, and other weathered earth materials are moved from one place to another. |
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Evaporation |
The process by which water is changed from aliquid to a gas (water vapor); a stage of thewater cycle |
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Geosphere |
The solid Earth consisting of the lithosphere(crust and upper mantle). |
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Glaciers |
A huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land. |
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Groundwater |
Water found in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand, and rock that is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers. |
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Hydrosphere |
The Earth's water, including surface water (oceans, lakes, and rivers), groundwater (aquifers), snow cover, ice, and water in the atmosphere, including water vapor |
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Lakes |
A large area of water surrounded by land. |
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Mechanical Weathering |
Processes that cause physical disintegration (breakdown) of exposed rock without any change in the chemical composition of the rock. |
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Mineral |
A naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, crystalline substance which has a fixed structure and chemical composition. |
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Mountains |
A landform that is formed by tectonic platemovement and rises at least 1,000 feet abovesea level. |
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Organic matter |
Decomposed matter found as a smallcomponent of soil. |
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Oxidation (geologic definition) |
The chemical process of adding oxygen to theminerals found in a rock forming new types ofrock. |
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Precipitation |
A form of water (e.g., hail, rain, sleet, snow)that condenses in the atmosphere and falls toEarth’s surface |
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Rivers |
A natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, gulf, lake, aquifer, or other water reservoir. |
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Rock |
A natural substance that is a solid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids |
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Rock Cycle |
The process of creating, changing,decomposing, and reforming different types ofrock. |
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Sediment |
Solid material that is moved and deposited in a new location. |
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Sedimentation |
The process of deposition of solid material in a new location. |
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Soil |
The loose top layer of Earth’s surface made ofweathered rock and organic matter. |
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Texture |
A physical property of a solid used to describeits surface. |
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Topography |
The study of the shape and features of the surface of the Earth (landforms) and other observable astronomical objects (planets, meteors, asteroids, comets, etc.). |
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Transpiration |
The process of releasing water vapor from the leaves of plants into the atmosphere through the stomata. |
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Uplift |
The process by which the Earth’s surfaceslowly rises either due to increasing upwardforce applied from below or decreasingdownward force from above. |
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Water Cycle ( hydrologic cycle) |
The process of water passing into theatmosphere as water vapor, precipitating to theEarth in liquid or solid form, and returning tothe atmosphere through evaporation. |
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Weather |
The state of the atmosphere at any givenmoment. |
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Weathering |
The process by which rocks are broken down. |