Earth's Layers
What is the outer layer of the Earth broken into plates?
the crust
A subduction zone is considered what type of plate boundary?
convergent boundary
What is the least reliable way to identify a mineral?
color
Sediment dropped at the end of a river into a larger body of water forms a ________.
delta
Older rocks are found _____.
near the bottom of sedimentary rock layers
What are the two types of crust found on the Earth?
oceanic & continental crust
What type of plate boundary is most likely to produce earthquakes?
transform boundaries
What is the most reliable way to identify a mineral?
measuring the hardness from 1-10
Ice wedging and plant growth are examples of __________.
physical weathering
What is the difference between body & trace fossils?
body fossils are all or part of an organisms body; trace fossils are prints, burrows, traces of a living thing, etc.
What causes the plates to move?
convection currents (temperature differences) in the mantle
Who developed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
Which type of rock forms in layers?
sedimentary rocks
What is the difference between weathering & erosion?
weathering - breaking down of rock by physical or chemical events; erosion - moving of sediments to a new location, usually by wind or water
A wavy line shown in a rock layer picture is called a(n) _________.
unconformity
What is the difference between the inner & outer core?
inner core is solid metal, outer core is liquid metal
Which type of earthquake wave creates the most damage?
surface waves
What is needed for a metamorphic rock to form?
heat & pressure
How do glaciers affect the Earth's surface?
carry sediments, flatten out the land beneath
An intrusion of igneous rock that reaches the surface can form a(n) ______.
volcano
What layer of the Earth causes our magnetic field?
inner core
A mid-ocean ridge is formed at what type of plate boundary?
divergent boundary
What is the difference between rocks & minerals?
minerals are simple combinations of elements; rocks are minerals combined with organic matter
A meandering river is most likely to be found on ___________.
a gentle floodplain or flatter area
What are the two types of crosscutting?
fault & intrusion