Rock Cycle
The molten, liquid rock below the surface of the Earth (called lava above the surface)
Magma
Type of rock formed when magma cools and solidifies above or below the surface of the Earth
The Earth's innermost part, composed of melted metals, primarily iron
The inner core
Openings in the Earth's surface which can release hot magma, ash, and gas through eruptions
Volcanoes
A piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides
A peninsula
____ and pressure below the Earth's surface can transform rocks into new metamorphic rocks
Obsidian, a volcanic glass is an example of ___ rock
Igneous
The Earth's outermost layer, a layer of solid rock about 22 miles thick
Crust (or lithosphere)
Boundary between two tectonic plates moving away from each other, sometimes resulting in the formation of volcanic islands when lava rises up to fill the gap between the plates
Divergent boundary
A long, low area of land between hills or mountain ranges
A valley
The process of sediment being deposited at the bottom of oceans or lakes and getting pressed together to form sedimentary rock
Compaction
Type of rock formed when sediment is deposited over time, usually in layers at the bottom of lakes or oceans
Sedimentary rock
Pieces of the crust which move on top of the liquid mantle
Tectonic plates
Boundary between two colliding plates, sometimes resulting in the formation of volcanoes and mountains
Convergent boundary
A large piece of ice moving slowly down a slope and spreading outward onto land
A glacier
The breaking down of rock into smaller particles by wind, water, or sometimes chemicals
Weathering
Type of rock formed by heat and pressure deep under the Earth's surface
Metamorphic rock
Layer beneath the crust consisting of partly molten rock which "flows" beneath tectonic plates
Asthenosphere (or mantle)
Boundary between two plates sliding past each other, often resulting in earthquakes
Transform boundary
A deep, narrow valley with steep sides and usually a river flowing through it
A canyon
The movement of particles of rock by wind or water
Erosion
Sandstone, limestone, and chalk are examples of ____ rock
The Earth's layers formed because the different ____ of the layers caused them to separate
Densities
A break in the Earth's crust due to movement such as earthquakes
Fault
Part of the ocean or sea that extends into the land
A gulf or bay