Unit 4 Flashcards
Geology is…
The study of now earth is formed, structure, and processes
Layers of the earth
Core, mantle, crust ( lithosphere )
Lithosphere
The crust and upper-most mantle
Plate tectonics
How terrain structures are formed crust plates
Divergent plate boundary
When 2 plates move away from each other causing new crust to form
Convergent plates boundary
When plates move towards each other causing destruction of crust
Transform boundary
When plates slide together causing earthquakes
Faults
A crack in the earths crust
Subduction
Oceanic crust depends beneath continental crust
Mid-Atlantic ridge
Divergent plate where new crust forms
Ring of fire
A plate where lots of volcanoes
Island arcs
A curving chain of volcanoic islands
Oceanic trenches
Caused by convergent plates, a steep drop off where subducting occurs
Layer of soil
Organic layer
Topsoil layer ( A)
Elvuviation layer (e)
Subsoil (b)
Parent rock (c)
Bedrock (r)
Erosion
Natural weathering of rock
Soil
Solids made up of minerals and organic matter
Soil profile (horizon)
The arrangement of Soil horizons
Soil texture triangle
Classification tool to determines soil class/texture
Top soil
Upper layer of soil wl high organic matter content
Soil type & size particle
Sand, silt, clay
Loan
A mixture of all 3 types of soil
Weathering
The breaking down of rocks
Water shed
Area where river outflow to large body of water occurs
Tributary
A river that flows into large river/lake
Coriolis effect
The earth rotates, causing storms to swirl clockwise in southern hemisphere, reversed in northern
Hurricane
Typer of tropical storm
Layers of atmosphere
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
Convection currents
Heat driven cycles that occur in air ocean and mantle
Hadley cells
Occur in equator and 30°, warm air rises and cools then falls
Westerlies
Winds coming from west → moving to east (between 30 and 60° )
Trade winds
Reliable winds that only flows from east to west
Polar easterlies
Winds in polar area east to west
High pressure systems
High air pressure that pushes air into lower pressure areas
Low pressure system
Warm air rises causing low pressure
El Niño
When weak trade winds cause upwelling to stop and warm water temperatures to rise
La Niña
Trade winds are strong, upwelling increases, cold water
Down welling
Top surface is denser that water beneath it and so it sinks
Upwelling
Cold water rises
Convergent oceanic-oceanic
Marianas trench
Contenint-oceanic convergent
Nazca plates (Andes)
Continental - continental convergent
Himalayan mountains
Divergent
Mid Atlantic ridge
Transform boundary
San Andreas fault
