What do scientists use to study the earth's interior?
seismic waves
What are the three rock types found in the crust?
sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic
The sum of all water on a planet is called its _________________.
hydrosphere
Weathering breaks down rocks, but ________________ moves it to a new place.
erosion
The building blocks of rock that have a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure are called_________________.
minerals
List the three compositional layers of the earth.
crust, mantle, core
What rock type is formed from intense pressure and cementation?
sedimentary
What two processes of the water cycle bring water up into the atmosphere from the surface?
transpiration and evaporation
Ventifacts are created by wind ______________, but sand dunes are created by wind ________________.
erosion, deposition
What hydrologic process forms clouds?
condensation
List the 5 mechanical layers of the earth.
lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, inner core.
What rock type is formed from magma that rises to the surface?
igneous
Most of Earth's water supply is contained in the ___________.
oceans
What is the main difference between chemical and mechanical weathering?
Chemical weathering changes the composition of the rock, mechanic does not.
What is the border between the mantle and the outer core called?
Gutenberg discontinuity
What is the border between the crust and mantle called?
Moho discontinuity
What rock type is formed when one of the two other forms are changed due to pressure and temperature?
metamorphic
Most of the Earth's freshwater supply is found in ____________ and _______________.
icebergs and glaciers
Alluvial fans are created by _______________ deposition, but moraines are created by _______________ deposition.
water, glacial
What is the border between the outer core and inner core called?
Lehmann discontinuity
Why is the inner core solid even though it has a higher temperature than the outer core?
The extreme pressure is great enough to overcome the effects of the extreme heat. (Pressure Freezing)
What do we call rock that behaves like something between a liquid and solid? (found in the asthenosphere)
Plastic Rock
Name two intermediate processes of the water cycle.
surface runoff, groundwater flow, soil infiltration or percolation
U-shaped valleys are created by __________ erosion. While V-shaped valleys are created by ___________ erosion.
glacial, water
Name a type of chemical weathering and a type of mechanical weathering.
CW:acid rain, oxidation (rust), or hydrolysis
MW: frost wedging/heaving, abrasion, biomechanical