Science: Earth's Features Flashcards
How do maps help us?
They help us find our way in unfamiliar places
Compare how maps were made in the past vs. how maps are made today
In the past, cartographers had to take measurements on the ground and by sailing around the land. They had to make estimates. But today, accurate information is taken by satellites or GPS.
What is cartography?
The science of making or drawing maps
What does a map’s scale tell us?
It tells us the relative distance on a map, for example in miles or kilometers
What does a resource map show?
It shows what can produced in or what natural resources are available in an area, for example oil, lumber, minerals, crops, livestock, etc.
How are mountains and volcanoes formed?
The earth’s surface is made up of different plates that can move up and down and sideways. When plates crash together, mountains and volcanoes are formed.
True or false: patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes are closely related to each other
True.
Both occur along earth’s faults, or cracks in the earth’s crust. Both earthquakes and volcanoes result from plates moving along these faults.
Why are mountain ranges lie at the edges of continents?
Continents are tectonic plates. At the edges of continents, different plates move against or under one another. This results in the formation of mountain ranges.
What is the Ring of Fire?
It is a section of earth where there are plate boundaries surrounding the Pacific Ocean. Volcanoes and earthquakes are common along the Ring of Fire.
What landforms lie under the ocean?
Trenches, canyons, ridges and basins are some of the landforms found under the ocean. These are similar to landforms found on land.
Describe the stages of the rock cycle
The rock cycle occurs over long period of time, over millions of years.
Hot magma when cooled leads to formation of igneous rocks.
Weathering and erosion of igneous rocks leads to sediments, and compacting and cementing of sediments over time leads to the formation of sedimentary rocks.
Heat and pressure applied to rocks leads to the formation of metamorphic rock.
When metamorphic rocks melts, magma is created, and cycle repeats.
What rocks are formed by heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rock
When rock particles are moved through water to form layers and then combined, what kind of rocks are formed?
Sedimentary rock
What are rocks made of?
One or more minerals
What can minerals be sorted into?
Minerals can be sorted into metals (such as gold and silver) and gems (such as diamonds)
What properties do minerals have?
Color, texture, luster, streaks, cleavage or hardness
What is soil made of?
It is a mixture of rock particles (such as sand, silt and clay), air, water, and decomposing matter
True or false: plants can grow without topsoil
False
Topsoil contain organic matter which supports plant growth
What are different types of weathering that can break down rock?
The two basic types of weathering are chemical and physical.
Chemical weathering happens when chemical interacts with rocks.
Physical weathering happens when water (ocean waves, flowing rivers, pouring rain), ice, wind, vegetation or gravity cause changes to rocks.
What is the difference and relationship between weathering, erosion and deposition?
Weathering breaks down rock into rock particles.
Erosion removes rock particles from land.
Deposition is when erosion moves rock particles and deposits them in a new spot.
All of this happens constantly as landforms change, but changes are observed only after a long period of time.
What are some examples of how erosion happens?
River, streams, and moving water from rain and snow can collect rock particles.
Ocean waves crashing into rocks can erode cliffs.
Ice glaciers can move particles as gravity pulls glaciers downward.
Wind can remove rock and soil loosened by weathering.
