Earth Science - Our Earth Flashcards
The central part of the earth that is made of solid iron and nickel.
Inner core
The largest layer of the earth.
Mantle
The outer most layer of the Earth.
Crust
Center part of the Earth that is liquid iron and nickel
Outer core
The hot, melted rock that is beneath the Earth’s crust.
magma
A break or crack in the earth’s crust
fault
Scientific theory that explains why the sea floor spreads and continents move.
Plate tectonics
Location where two plates collide, or slam into each other.
convergent boundary
Location where two plates move away from each other.
Divergent boundaries
Location where two plates slide past each other.
transform boundary
An opening in the Earth’s crust that allows magma to escape.
volcano
Hot, molten rock that has reached the earth’s surface.
lava
Type of volcano with wide, broad, gently sloping sides, with thinner fluid lava that spreads over a wide area.
shield volcano
A volcano that is built by thick lava thrown high into the air and falls as chunks or cinders.
cinder-cone volcano
A volcano built by layers of ash and cinders between layers of hardened lava. They are very explosive and considered the most dangerous.
Composite volcano
List the layers of the earth from inside to out
inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
A sudden movement in Earth’s crust
earthquake
The place where slipping begins during an earthquake.
Focus
The point on the surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
epicenter
Measurement of the amount of energy an earthquake releases.
magnitude
Huge waves caused by underwater earthquakes.
tsunami
Layers of gases around the Earth
Atmosphere
Layer of gases closest to Earth’s surface.
troposphere
The condition of the troposphere at a particular time and place.
weather
The average weather of a place over a long period of time
climate
Warm air rising over land causing wind to blow from the water to the land.
sea breeze
Warm air rising over water causing wind to blow from land out to the sea.
land breeze
The strongest effect on climate
distance from the equator, or latitude
The higher a place’s altitude, the _______ its climate
cooler
Mountain ranges effect rain fall by forcing air to rise, cool, condense, and precipitate on the windward side of the mountain. This leaves dry air and little rain fall for the leeward side. This is called the _____ _________ _______
rain shadow effect
