Seasons
What causes the seasons to change?
The tilt of the Earth's axis.
What is the point on the Earth's surface directly above where an earthquake originates?
epicenter
What is molten rock called before it erupts from a volcano?
magma
What is the outermost layer of the Earth called?
Crust
What is the smallest unit of an element called?
atom
When do we experience summer in the Northern Hemisphere?
When the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun
Name the scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.
Richter Scale
What type of volcano is characterized by a broad, gently sloping cone?
shield volcano
What is the layer just beneath the crust?
Mantle
What is the chemical formula for water?
H₂O
What are the two equinoxes called?
Spring equinox and autumn equinox.
What type of seismic wave travels the fastest?
P-waves
Where does the term volcano come from?
The Roman name "vulcan"
What is the innermost layer of the earth?
Core
What is the process called when a solid changes directly into a gas?
sublimation
How do the length of days change in winter?
Days are shorter in winter.
What is the term for the vibrations that shake the ground during an earthquake?
Seismic Waves
Where do volcanoes often occur?
What type of rock makes up most of the Earth's crust?
Igneous
What is the density of water?
1 gram per milliliter
Name one effect of seasons on living organisms.
Migration patterns in birds.
What is the name of the fault that runs through California, famous for its earthquakes?
San Andreas Fault
Name the 3 classifications for volcanic activity.
Active, dormant, extinct.
What phenomenon drives plate tectonics?
Convection currents in the mantle
How can scientists find the volume of an irregularly shaped object?
water displacement