Ch. 3 Key Terms Flashcards
geosphere
the mostly solid, rocky part of the Earth; extends from the center of the core to the surface of the crust
hydrosphere
the portion of Earth that is water
crust
the thin and solid outermost layer of the earth above the mantle
mantle
in earth science, the layer of rock between the Earth’s crust and core
core
the central part of the Earth below the mantle; also the center of the sun
litosphere
the solid, outer layer of the Earth that consist of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle
asthenosphere
the solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it
tectonic plate
a block of lithosphere that consists of the crust and the rigid, outermost part of the mantle; also called lithosphere plate
chemical weathering
the process by which rocks brake down as a result of chemical reactions
erosion
a process in which the materials of Earth’s surface are loosened dissolved or worn away and transported from one place to another by a natural agent such as wind, water, ice, or gravity
atmosphere
a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet, such as Earth
troposphere
the lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increases; the part of the atmosphere where weather conditions exist
stratosphere
the layer of the atmosphere that lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere and in which temperature increases as altitude increases; contains ozone layer
ozone
a gas molecule that is made up of three oxygen atoms
radiation
the energy that is transferred as electromagnetic waves, such as visible light and infrared waves