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Earth System Flashcards

1
Q

Continental Crust

A

crust found under continents; made of mostly silicon, oxygen, and aluminum

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2
Q

Plate Tectonics

A

the large-scale movements of portions of the earth’s crust over long periods of time

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3
Q

Tectonic Plates

A

plates or portions of Earth’s crust and upper mantle, which glide across the asthenosphere

Example: Pacific Plate

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4
Q

Glacier

A

Term definition.
a large mass or block of ice; flow at a very slow rate and can carve valleys

Example: Franz Josef Glacier

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5
Q

Horn

A

A pointed, pyramid-like peak with flat faces that was formed by glaciers on at least three sides

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6
Q

Erosion

A

the slow wearing away of the surface of the land by wind or water

Example: wind erosion, water runoff

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7
Q

Weathering

A

a destructive process by which rock is gradually worn away and broken into smaller sediments and/or soil

Example: water gradually breaking down and smoothing rock

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7
Q

Hot spring

A

a geological feature produced when water is heated by geothermal activity and pushed to Earth’s surface

Example: Banff Upper Hot Springs in Banff National Park

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8
Q

Chemical Weathering

A

the process of breaking down rocks by chemical means

Example: acid rain

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9
Q

Igneous Rock

A

rock formed when magma or lava cools; air pockets or crystals

Example: basalt; granite

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10
Q

Clay

A

Dense and heavy, with very small particles, a smooth texture, and little organic material. Holds water and may be alkaline.

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11
Q

Ocean Basin

A

depressions on the earth’s surface due to the sinking of oceanic crust, forming oceans

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12
Q

Equator

A

The center line of latitude around the middle of the Earth that divides the globe into a Northern and Southern hemisphere

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13
Q

Hot Spot

A

a place far away from tectonic plate boundaries where upwelling magma creates a hole in Earth’s crust and lava erupts onto the surface

Example: Galapagos Islands

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14
Q

Divergent Boundary / Constructive Boundary

A

a boundary between tectonic plates where the two plates move away from one another; creates new crust

Example: Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Iceland

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15
Q

Tropics

A

the region between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude); warm temperatures; high rainfall

Example: Amazon Rainforest

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16
Q

Nutrients

A

substances in food and beverages that nourish the living things. They support growth, produce energy, and maintain the organism.

Example: carbohydrates, fats, fiber, minerals, vitamins, or water

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17
Q

Convergent Boundary / Destructive Boundary

A

a boundary between tectonic plates where the two plates move toward one another; creates mountains and trenches

Example: Cascade mountain range

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18
Q

Transform Boundary

A

a boundary between tectonic plates where the two plates slide past one another; the earth around the boundary is crumpled

Example: San Andreas fault

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19
Q

Microorganisms

A

organisms so small a microscope is needed to see them

Example: bacteria, fungus

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20
Q

U-Shaped Valley / Trough Valley

A

A valley shaped like the letter U that was formed by a glacier.

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21
Q

Barrier Reef

A

The remaining ring of island formed by a sinking volcanic island.

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22
Q

Silt

A

Dense with small particles, feels soapy, forms from weathered granite and feldspar, holds water and compacts easily.

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23
Q

Oceanic Crust

A

crust found under oceans; made of mostly silicon, oxygen, and magnesium

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24
Seamount
an underwater mountain Example: Axial Seamount
25
Heat
the thermal energy transferred from a hot object to a cooler object Example: a hot water bottle next to your sore shoulder transfers thermal energy in the form of heat
26
Atoll
a ring-shaped island or coral reef atop submarine volcanoes Example: Addu Atoll
27
Fjord
A U-shaped valley that is along the coast and filled with water.
28
Mantle
the layer of the earth just beneath the crust; composed of very hot rock
29
Cleavage
the pattern along which the mineral breaks Example: halite has cleavage in three directions
30
Peat
Rich in organic material, compresses easily, holds water, may be acidic, spongy to touch.
31
Taste
the mineral's taste; only soluble minerals have a taste Example: halite has a salty taste
32
Diaphaneity
the transparency of the mineral or ability of light to pass through it Example: witherite is translucent, allowing some light through
33
Destructive Processes
processes that break down or destroy landforms Example: water running across a rock causes the rock to wear down
34
Sand
Relatively large particles. Feels gritty and drains rapidly.
35
Magma
underground molten rock, present before and during a volcanic eruption
36
Organic Material
dead plant and animal material in the soil Example: decomposing blades of grass
37
Nuclear Fission
a process in which the nuclei of an atom is split, releasing a massive amount of energy.
38
Karst Topography
a stretch of land that overlays porous, soluble rock
39
Constructive Processes
processes that add new landforms to the surface of the earth Example: hot spots causing volcanoes
40
Tablemount / Guyot
an underwater mountain with a flat top Example: Emperor Seamounts
41
Metamorphic Rock
form when rock is subjected to great heat and pressure; banding or stripes Example: marble
42
Hanging Valley
A glacial valley, shaped like a deep U, that formed high above the main glacial valley
43
Luster
the ability of the mineral's surface to reflect light; can be metallic, submetallic, or nonmetallic Example: galena has a metallic luster
44
Specific Gravity
the ratio of the density of the mineral to the density of water Example: sapphire has a specific gravity of about 4, meaning it is 4 times heavier than an equal amount of water
45
Color
the color of the mineral Example: purple amethyst
46
Convection Currents
the movement of fluid which transfers heat from one place to another Example: air in a hot air balloon - hot air travels upward and cools, then the denser, cooler air sinks, resulting in the circular motion of the air
47
Cirque
A bowl-shaped cutaway carved from the top of a mountain; generally not as steep-sided as a U-shaped valley
48
Crust
the outermost and coolest layer of the earth
49
Crystalline Structure
the degree to which the mineral is arranged in a crystal lattice structure; the more crystalline the mineral is, the harder that lattice is to see with the naked eye Example: Sodium chloride crystals typically have a cubic shape, while graphite has a layered sheet-like structure.
50
Arête
A thin, jagged ridgeline that once separated two glaciers
51
Odor
the smell of a mineral; some minerals give off an odor when moistened or heated Example: pyrite gives off a rotten egg odor when heated
52
Soil Horizon
A unique layer of soil seen in the soil profile.
53
Conduction
the transfer of thermal energy through a material or between two materials that are touching Example: heating pad
54
Inner core
the extremely hot innermost layer of the earth; composed of mostly solid iron and nickel
55
Radiation
heat transfer by an electromagnetic wave Example: standing by a hot fire
56
geyser
a hot spring of water that intermittently jets water and steam into the air; caused by magma heating the groundwater
57
Mechanical Weathering
the process of breaking down rocks by physical means Example: water freezes in a crack in the rock and breaks it apart
58
Mineral
a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with an orderly, network structure and definite chemical composition Example: diamond
59
Acid Rain
Term definition. rain with a lower pH than neutral corrosive to many substances, including rocks often caused by pollution Example: sulfur dioxide dissolves in the water droplets of clouds to make sulfuric acid
60
Hardness
the mineral's resistance to scratching; measured on the Mohs scale, where talc, the softest mineral, has a score of 1 and diamond, the hardest, has a score of 10 Example: diamond is hard, talc is soft
61
Streak
the color of the mineral in powder form; obtained by dragging a piece of the mineral across a piece of unglazed porcelain Example: amethyst has a streak color of white
62
Soil
the upper layer of the earth's surface; formed from the weathering of rocks Example: clay
63
Rock
an accumulation of one or more minerals Example: sedimentary rock
64
Soil Profile
The layers of soil found in a region. When a cut is made, the profile is the seen as a stack of soil horizons.
65
Loam
A fertile soil mixture of mostly sand with some clay and silt. Ideal for gardening because it holds water and nutrients.
66
Magnetism
the response of a mineral when exposed to magnetic materials; a physical property Example: magnetite displays strong attraction to magnetic fields
67
Convection
the transfer of heat by a moving fluid, like air and water Example: heat rising from a lit candle
68
Sedimentary Rock
rock formed when sediments build up and cement together; visible layers Example: sandstone; siltstone; coal; shale
69
Tenacity
the mineral's ability to resist separation or breaking when subjected to stress Example: quartz is brittle and will be crushed to a powder when hammered
70
Outer Core
the layer of the earth just beneath the mantle; composed of very hot, liquified roc

FTCE Science (15 decks)

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