Earth Is Weird Flashcards
Rock cycle
the process during which rocks are formed, change, wear down, and are formed again over long periods of time
sedimentary rock
a type of rock formed by gravity pressing fragments of other rocks and minerals together as they settle on land or under the ocean over a long period of time
metamorphic rock
one of the major types of rock that is created from previously existing rock by the action of intense heat and pressure
igneous rock
a type of rock that forms when melted rock cools and hardens
Magma
melted rock located beneath Earth’s surface
Lava
melted rock on Earth’s surface
Erosion
the removal of weathered rock material. After rocks have been broken down, the small particles are transported to other locations by wind, water, ice, and gravity.
weathering
the physical or chemical breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller pieces or aqueous solutions on Earth’s surface
Sedimentation
the deposition by settling of a suspended material.
Deformation
a change in shape of rock compressive stress squeezes rock layers, causing deformation. The deformation of rocks due to tectonic processes takes millions of years.
Crystallization
the process by which a substance’s molecules or atoms align in a repeating structure
Minerals
a natural, solid substance found in rocks; each mineral has a specific chemical makeup
Water cycle
the continual movement of water between the land, ocean, and the air
Evaporation
the process in which matter changes from a liquid to a gas (related word: evaporate)
Condensation
the process by which a gas changes into a liquid
