Rock Cycle
A rock formed when layers of small particles of shell, rock, and sand join together.
What are sedimentary rocks?
The rigid, rocky outer surface of the Earth.
What is the crust?
This is the vibration of Earth produced by the rapid release of energy.
What is an earthquake?
A weak spot in the crust where molten material, or magma, comes to the surface.
What is a volcano?
The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers.
What is relative dating?
A rock that is formed when pressure and heat create changes to sedimentary or igneous rock.
What is metamorphic rock?
This is the largest layer of the Earth. It is the reason that the crustal plates of the Earth move.
What is the mantle?
The location where the earthquake begins. The ground ruptures at this spot, then seismic waves radiate outward in all directions.
What is the focus?
Nonexplosive eruptions, fluid basaltic lava, gentle broad slopes
What is a shield volcano?
In undisturbed sedimentary rocks, the oldest rock Layers are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.
What is the law of superposition?
A rock that is formed when melted rock cools and hardens.
What is an igneous rock?
the most extensive chain of mountains on earth, but more than 90% of this mountain range lies in the deep ocean.
What is the mid-ocean ridge?
The point on the Earth's surface located directly above the focus of an earthquake.
What is the epicenter?
A major belt of volcanoes which encircles the Pacific Ocean
What is the “Ring of Fire”?
Magma that cools and pushes into bodies of rock and hardens.
What is an intrusion?
The breaking up of rocks and soil.
What is weathering?
In the early 1900s a German explorer and scientist
(Alfred Wegener) proposed that there was once a single “super continent” This continent is called...
What is Pangaea?
Waves that generate a push-pull motion, the can travel through solids, liquids & gases.
What are primary (P) waves?
fast moving, hot lava; Surface looks like a solid mass of wrinkles, billows, and rope-like coils.
What is a pahoehoe?
The age of a rock given as the number of years since the rock formed.
What is absolute dating?
Are usually found in sedimentary rock and are the remains or imprints of plants and animals that died long ago.
What are fossils?
This is caused by the very hot material at the deepest part of the mantle rising, then cooling and sinking again --repeating this cycle over and over.
What are convection currents?
Waves that move at right angles to their direction of travel, they travels only through solids
What are secondary (S) waves?
Alternating between lava and pyroclastics, explosive and nonexplosive eruptions, steep and tall
What is a composite Volcano?
Used to date rocks far back in time, certain rocks contain radioactive isotopes.
What is radioactive dating? (Half-life)