Earth Science Study Guide Latest 2023 Graded A

Earth Science Study Guide Latest 2023 Graded A Lithosphere The outer shell of the Earth consisting of the crust and uppermost portion of the mantle. Hydrosphere water in the earth system-gaseous (water vapor), solid (snow and ice) and liquid (rain and water); one of the four spheres of the Earth system Atmosphere The gaseous envelope of air surrounding Earth, made up of a mixture of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases and water vapors, one of the four spheres of the Earth system Troposphere The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere characterized by decreasing temperature with altitude. Longitude (meridians) Angular distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian. Latitude Angular distance in degrees north or south of the equator. equator imaginary line that circles Earth halfway between the North and South Poles Contour Lines Isoline on a map that connects places with the same elevation and shows the shape of the land Contour Interval Difference in height between two adjacent contour lines Topographic Map Map that shows the shape of the land using contour lines; a map showing an elevation field Minerals Naturally occurring inorganic solid with a distinct chemical composition and crystalline structure Luster Property of a mineral that describes quality or appearance of light reflected from its surface Streak Property of mineral that describes its color in powdered form Crystal structure Internal arrangement of atoms Hardness Resistance of a mineral to scratching Cleavage Tendency of a mineral to split along planes of its crystalline structure where bonds are weakest. Fracture property of a mineral that describes an irregular pattern of breakage in a direction other than along cleavage planes. Igneous Rock formed by cooling and hardening of magma Crystallization Formation of crystals Mafic High density, dark, rich in iron and magnesium Felsic Low density, light, rich in silica Sedimentary Rock formed by the compaction and cementing of layers of sediment Clastic/Fragmental Sedimentary rocks formed from fragments of other rocks Fossils Remains any other evidence of life from another geologic age preserved in rock Strata Layers of sedimentary rock that form matter particles settle out of a fluid and are compressed over time Chemical/Organic (evaporate) water evaporates leaving back a rock Metamorphic Rock that has undergone chemical/structural change due to the effects of heat and pressure Banding Alternation of dark and light mineral alignment in a metamorphic rock Folding When mineral alignment folds and rocks come together due to regional metamorphism Foliated/Non-Foliated Alignment/non-alignment of minerals Earthquake Shaking of Earth's crust caused by a release of energy Fault Break in lithosphere along which movement Focus Point at which first movement occurs during an earthquake Epicenter Point on Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake Magnitude Measure of the amount of energy released in an earthquake Seismograph Instrument that detects and records waves produced by earthquakes Origin time Time when the earthquake is created Triangulation The system used to locate the epicenter with 3 seismic waves P-Waves Body waves that squeeze and stretch rock materials as they pass through the Earth, aka compressional/primary waves S-waves Body waves that cause particles of rock material to move at right angles to the direction in which the waves are traveling, aka shear/secondary waves Crust very thin outer layer of Earth above mantle, composed of a rigid layer of lighter rocks Mantle Thickest of Earth's layers, located between outer core and Earth's crust, composed mostly of compounds rich in iron, silicon, and magnesium Core Inner part of the Earth Outer Core layer of Earth's interior located between mantle + inner core; composed of iron and nickel in a liquid shape Inner Solid innermost layer of Earth; composed of iron and nickel, under extremely high pressure and temperature Shield Shield-shaped volcano with broad base and gently sloping sides made of basaltic lava Cinder Cone Cone-shaped volcano formed from lava fragments that have been ejected from a volcanic vent Composite Volcano made of layers of hardened lava flows and pyroclastic materials Plate boundary where 2 plates meet Convergent Boundary Boundary between 2 plates moving toward each other/converging Divergent Boundary Boundary between 2 lithospheric plates moving apart Transform Boundary Boundary between 2 plates sliding past each other; causes earthquakes Subduction convergent boundary where an oceanic plate is plunging beneath another, overriding plate Ridge mt. range underwater Convection transfer of heat energy in a liquid/gas through circulation of currents of heated particles within the substance Hot Spot Area of volcanic activity that results from a plume of hot solid material that has risen from deep within Earth's mantle Seamount cone-shaped undersea mt. of volcanic origin that rises high above the ocean floor. Physical Weathering Changes size and/or shape of a rock without changing the rock's chemical composition Frost Action Agent of physical weathering where water seeps into cracks and the water freezes, its volume increases. Temperature must alternate from non-freezing and freezing. Increase in volume makes cracks in rock bigger even time water freezes. Abrasion The wearing away of rock material by grinding action Wind Abrasion Causes particles of sediment to abrad exposed rock surfaces Ice Abrasion Glaciers drag, scrape, and break rocks apart Water Abrasion Particles bump and rub against one another and the streambed Biological Abrasion Plant roots that grow in the cracks of rocks and animals burrow beneath the ground. As a plant grows, its roots invade the crevices of a rock and hold them open. Chemical Weathering Breakdown/Decomposition of rock that takes place when minerals are changed into different substances. Humus located in top layer; dark colored organic matter' helpful towards growing crops O/A Horizon The "leaching zone", important materials transported deeper into the soil by ground water infiltration B Horizon Mineral enriched horizon C Horizon Usually composed of broken bedrock, which may merge into solid bedrock D Horizon/Bedrock Solid layer beneath the soil horizons Erosion transportation of weathered materials Agents of erosion Factors of erosion: water, wind, or glaciers How does wind cause erosion? It picks up loose rock materials, such as sand, silt, and clay, and carries them away How does water cause erosion? Running water carries the smallest particles in solution; cannot be filtered out of water; suspension particles are too small to settle on own; cannot be filtered out of water. Flowing water rolls/bounces largest most dense particles a long stream bed. Particles of low density are carried along surface by flotation. How do ice/glaciers cause erosion? As a glacier moves it carries, pushes, and drags loose rock material Particle Size smaller the particles, the slower it settles; larger the particle, the faster it will settle Particle Shape Flat, angular, and irregularly shaped particles that have more surface area settle more slowly than smooth, rounded particles Particle Density Among particles of same avg. size and shape, denser particles settle faster, while less dense particles take longer to settle. How does velocity effect how it settles? bigger sediments settle faster Laurentide Ice Sheet Major recurring glacier that at its max completely covered North America east of the ROckies from the Arctic Ocean to a line passing through the vicinity of Cincinnati, St. Louis, Kansas City, and the Dakotas Drumlin Long, smooth canoe-shaped hill that is usually found in groups shaped by an advancing glacier Erratic Large boulder that has been transported into an area by a glacier Moraine (terminal or lateral) Deposit of till left behind when a glacier recedes Relief change in elevation between the highest + the lowest places climate course of the weather that an area has over a long period of time Time non-spatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past-present-future. Human Activites something that people do to or cause to happen longshore Current Ocean current that flows close and almost parallel to the shoreline and is caused by the rush of waves toward the shore.