Untitled Deck Flashcards
What type of boundary occurs where tectonic plates collide?
Convergent
Convergent boundaries can build mountains or form subduction zones.
What is the process of a gas changing into a liquid due to cooling called?
Condensation
This process is essential in the water cycle.
What is groundwater?
Fresh water stored underground in the spaces between soil particles and rocks
Groundwater is a crucial resource for drinking water and irrigation.
What is the thin outer layer of the Earth’s surface called?
Crust
The crust is composed of relatively cool rock.
What layer of the Earth lies below the crust?
Mantle
The mantle consists of very hot but mostly solid rock.
What is magma?
Molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface
Magma can rise to the surface and erupt as lava.
What type of boundary involves two tectonic plates sliding past each other horizontally?
Transform
Transform boundaries are characterized by grinding motion.
What is the process called when one lithospheric plate slides beneath another?
Subduction
This process can lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches.
What occurs in mountain building?
Colliding tectonic plates uplift, forming mountains
This process can take millions of years.
What is ozone?
A gas composed of three oxygen atoms
Ozone protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
What is the water cycle?
The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface
The water cycle includes processes like evaporation and precipitation.
What is evaporation?
The process of a substance changing from a liquid to a gas, usually due to heat
This is a key part of the water cycle.
What is precipitation?
Water in the atmosphere condensing into droplets or ice crystals and falling to the Earth’s surface
Forms of precipitation include rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
What is the water table?
The upper limit of groundwater held in an aquifer
The water table can fluctuate based on rainfall and usage.
What is the asthenosphere?
A softer, hot layer of rock in the upper mantle that carries the lithosphere
The asthenosphere allows tectonic plates to move.
What is the core of the Earth?
The innermost part of the Earth, made up of outer and inner sections
The outer core is liquid, while the inner core is solid.
What is convection in geological terms?
The process in which warm rock moves upward and cool rock sinks
This resembles a conveyor belt and is responsible for plate tectonics.
What are tectonic plates?
Large sections of solid lithosphere that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle
Their movement causes earthquakes and volcanic activity.
What was Pangaea?
The most recent supercontinent, which existed about 300 million years ago
Pangaea eventually broke apart into the continents we know today.
What is a landform?
A natural feature on the Earth’s surface, such as mountains, islands, or continents
Landforms are shaped by geological processes like erosion and sedimentation.
What is deposition?
The process of eroded soil being deposited at a new location
Deposition can create new landforms such as deltas.
What type of boundary occurs where magma surges up and pushes tectonic plates apart?
Divergent
Divergent boundaries are often associated with mid-ocean ridges.
What is the cryosphere?
The frozen parts of the Earth, including ice caps, glaciers, and frozen ground
The cryosphere plays a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate.
What is transpiration?
The release of water vapor by plants through their leaves into the atmosphere
Transpiration is an important part of the water cycle.
What is runoff?
The flow of water from land into rivers, lakes, and oceans
Runoff can carry nutrients and pollutants into water bodies.
What is an aquifer?
Underground storage reservoirs of water, formed by permeable rocks or sediments
Aquifers are crucial for providing water in many regions.
