Land Formation Vocabulary

Question 1

Continents

Answer 1

Great divisions of land on the globe: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia

Question 2

Extrusive vulcanism

Answer 2

Molten material hardens on earths surface-basalt

Question 3

Igneous rocks

Answer 3

Formed by cooling and hardening of Earth’s material

Question 4

Intrusive vulcanism

Answer 4

Molten material hardens before it reaches the earths surface not exposed on the earths surface-granite

Question 5

Lava

Answer 5

Above ground molten material

Question 6

Loess

Answer 6

Fine fertile soil that is transported by wind (in glaciated regions)

Question 7

Magma

Answer 7

Underground molten material

Question 8

Metamorphic rocks

Answer 8

Igneous and sedimentary rocks transformed due to heat, pressure, or chemical reactions (marble, slate)

Question 9

Pacific Ring of fire

Answer 9

Series of volcanoes surrounding the Pacific Ocean, includes 80% of the world’s active volcanoes

Question 10

Pangaea

Answer 10

Represents a supercontinent of 200 million years ago-later separated into two large sections: Gondwana and Laurasia which further separated into today’s continents

Question 11

Plate tectonic processes

Answer 11

Portions of the Earth’s mantle and crust on separate slowly moving “plates”. Responsible for mountain-building, volcanoes, and earthquakes

Question 12

Vulcanism

Answer 12

The outpouring of molten material from cracks in the earth

Question 13

Warping

Answer 13

Gentle bending of the Earth’s crust

Question 14

Weathering

Answer 14

Breaking down rock masses into smaller particles