Unit 1 vocab words Flashcards
Plate Boundaries
Border between two plates of the Earth’s Crust
Convergent Boundary
When two plates come together; can cause mountains or sea trenches
Divergent Boundary
When two plates pull apart, causing magma to rise and fill the gap
Transform Boundary
Two plates sliding past each other, can cause earthquakes or faults
Island Arc
Long chains of volcanic islands along convergent boundaries
Seafloor Spreading
Occurs when divergent plates pull apart, new less-dense material rises and forms new crust
Rift Valley
A lowland region that forms when the Earth’s plates pull apart. Can be created by seafloor spreading. Like a ravine
Hot-Spot
An area of the Earth’s crust is associated with unusually high heat flow. Molten mantle material rises up through the Earth’s Crust
Fault
A crack in the Earth’s lithosphere that is formed by breaking of rock on Earth’s surface. Usually formed by tectonic plate movement.
Insolation
The amount of solar radiance in any area
Weathering
The breaking down of rock by chemical or physical forces, resulting in smaller pieces
Erosion
The transportation of soil by water, wind, gravity, or ice
Soil Horizons
Different layers of soil that are parallel to each other that differ in chemical and physical characteristics. O-A-E-B-C-R
Horizon O
Humus layer of soil
Horizon A
Topsoil layer of soil
Horizon E
Light colored leached horizon, contains minerals
Horizon B
Subsoil layer, contains deposited minerals
Horizon C
Contains parent material from weathered rock
Horizon R
Contains bedrock, or not weathered parent material
Humus
Organic matter layer of soil
Water Holding Capacity
The amount of water a soil can hold for crops to use
Porosity
A measure of the amount of pores or air spaces in a soil
Permeability
A measure of how easily water can pass through soil
Soil Fertility
A measure of how rich in nutrients a soil is
Fertilizer
A material used to supply plants of more nutrients
Loam
A soil that is a combination of Silt, Sand, and Clay. Good for crops
Montreal Protocol
Regulates the production of substances that can deplete the ozone layer
Atmosphere
Layers of gasses that envelop the planet
Troposphere
Lowest layer of the atmosphere, where most weather phenomena occur
Stratosphere
Layer made up of many layers, including the ozone layer
Mesosphere
3rd layer of the atmosphere, in this layer temperature begins to decrease rapidly as altitude increases
Thermosphere
Layer of atmosphere where ultraviolet radiation charges molecules creating ions. Responsible for the northern lights
Exosphere
The edge of the atmosphere that separates us from space. Almost as wide as the Earth.
Ozone
Region of the stratosphere that reduces most of the radiation from the UV rays
Global Wind Patterns
The 3 major global wind belts, Polar Easterlies/westerlies, and trade winds
Polar Easterlies
Dry and cold prevailing winds that blow from the east. They come from the polar regions
Polar Westerlies
Dry and cold prevailing winds that blow from the west. They come from the polar regions
Trade Winds
Winds blowing steadily east to west just north and south of the equator
Coriolis Effect
The deflection of winds due to the rotation of the Earth
Tropic of Cancer
23.5 degrees north of the equator
Tropic of Capricorn
23.5 degrees south of the equator
Equator
Located at 0 degrees latitude. Area of most direct concentrated sunlight on the Earth
Rain Shadow
Area of land that has been forced to become a desert due to a mountain blocking all of the vegetation growing rain.
Windward side
Side of mountain that receives all of the water and rain and blocks the wind
Leeward Side
Dry side of the mountain that has arid climate
El Nino Southern Oscillation
A periodic fluctuation in sea surface temperature and the air pressure of the overlying atmosphere. Leads to wetter conditions in the south of the US and warmer and drier conditions in the North
La Nina
The periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific. Causes the north to be wetter and colder and the south to be drier and hotter
Upwelling
The rising of cold deep sea nutrient rich waters. Caused by trade winds moving surface water
Thermocline
The transition or middle layer between the colder deeper waters and warmer surface waters in a body of water. Exists because of sudden change in temperature.
