Chapter 9 Flashcards
Crust
The outermost layer of the earth
Mantle
The plastic-like layer found just below the earth’s crust
Lithosphere
The rocky layer that contains the crust and the upper mantle
Outer core
The dense liquid part part of the core
Convention current
The circular movement of heated material or a cooler area
Inner core
The very dense solid solid center of the earth
Plate tectonics
The study of how the lithosphere plates interact
Fault
A crack in the earths plates along which movement occurs
Convergent boundary
Plates that push together
Divergent boundary
Plates that pull apart in opposite directions
Transform boundary
Plates that slide past each other in opposite directions
Weathering
The process by which rocks are gradually broken down
Physical weathering
The breakdown of large pieces of rocks into smaller ones, mainly by temperature and pressure change
Chemical weathering
The breakdown of rocks as a result of chemical reactions, causing new substances to be formed
Oxidation
A chemical change in which oxygen combines with another substance
Carbonation
The process by which carbon dioxide dissolves in water
Organic
Consisting of compounds that contain carbon
Inorganic
Consisting of compounds that do not contain carbon
Strata
The horizontal layers of material
Topsoil
The upper layer of soil
Subsoil
The layer of soil beneath the topsoil
Bedrock
The solid rock layer beneath the subsoil
