Earth's Systems
Earth's outermost system that is made of a mixture of gases.
Atmosphere
The force that every object exerts on all other objects because of their masses
Gravity
The britte, rocky outer layer of Earth
crust
Topographic features formed by processes that shape Earth's Surface
Landforms
Areas along much of the East Coast and the Gulf Coast formed when sediments were deposited on the ocean floor
Coastal plains
The amount of mass in a material per unit volume
Density
The thick middle layer in the solid part of Earth
mantle
Elevation
Relief
Topography
Flat, grassy area that has thick soils and is well suited for growing crops and grazing animals
Found in the central part of the U.S.
The Earth's entire solid body containing soil and sediments on Earth's surface all the way down to Earth's rocky center.
Geosphere
A cloud of gas, ice, and dust that formed our solar system
solar nebula
The dense metallic center of Earth
core
Describe the difference between relief and elevation
Relief - describes differences in elevation
Elevation - describes height above sea level
Mountain range in the eastern U.S.
Formed about 480 million years ago
Appalachian Mountains
Which of Earth's systems interact when water falls onto land and washes salts into the ocean?
Geosphere and Hydrosphere
Part of the solar system formed from the materials in the center of the cloud of gas, ice, and dust
What caused Earth's layers to form?
Density
Materials with higher density sunk to the core of Earth while the less dense stuff stayed near the surface.
What are two different ways mountains can form?
Build up of lava on the ocean floor
Forces inside Earth fold, push or uplift huge blocks of rocks
Grand Canyon
What are Earth's major systems and how do they interact?
the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the geosphere, and the biosphere
Ex: Water from the ocean evaporates and enters the atmosphere.
Why does Earth have a spherical shape?
The particles pulled together by gravity heated and softened. Gravity pulled bumps on the surface towards the interior of Earth to make a relatively even spherical surface.
What causes a magnetic field to surround Earth?
The inner core spins faster than the rest of Earth.
What are Earth's major landforms and how do they compare?
Earth's major landforms are plains, plateaus and mountains. Plains have low relief and low elevation. Plateaus have low relief and high elevation. Mountains have high relief and high elevation.
Describe three major landform regions in the United States.
Coastal plains: areas with low relief/low elevation near the coast
Interior plains: areas with low relief/low elevation away from the coast
Rocky Mountains: mountains located in western U.S.