What is the outermost, thinnest layer of the Earth? (Number 1)
crust
___________ is the breaking down of rock into smaller pieces of rock.
weathering
Scientists believe that the continents have moved over the earth's surface over time to their present positions. This theory is-
continental drift
What are the three main types of rocks?
metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous
In which type of rock are fossils often found?
sedimentary rocks
A _________ boundary is where the earth's plates move horizontally past one another.
transforming or sliding
Rocks are classified by how they are_______.
formed
What is the middle layer of the Earth? (Number 2)
mantle
What four types of fragments can weathering produce?
sediment, clay, sand, and rock
What is formed when two plates move apart and magma from the earth fills the space between the plates?
mid-ocean ridge
What type of rock is formed due to pressure and heat within the earth?
metamorphic
Scientists use which method to determine the age of rocks that contain fossils?
carbon 14 dating
A _____ boundary is where the earth's plates come together.
convergent
The earth's outer layer is formed mostly of ______ rock.
igneous rock
What is the liquid layer of Earth? (Number 3)
outer core
What is the gradual wearing or washing away of soil and rock by glaciers, water, or wind?
erosion
When two plates meet at a fault, the earth's surface stretches and compress. This event causes-
an earthquake
What type of rock is formed when magma from a volcano cools and hardens on the earth's surface?
igneous
How old do scientists believe planet Earth is, approximately?
4.6 billion years
A _______ boundary is where the earth's plates separate.
divergent
Large, continent-size slabs of the earth's crust and mantle are called-
plates
What is the solid center of the Earth? (Number 4)
Inner Core
What is a solid, nonliving substance made up of elements and found within the earth?
mineral
The theory that Earth's crust and mantle move across the earth's surface is-
plate tectonics
Which type of rock is formed when smaller parts of older rocks become cemented together?
sedimentary
What do scientists use to get information about past life on Earth and the age of rocks?
Fossils
A ________ is a boundary of the earth's plates.
fault
What kind of energy causes movement of materials within the Earth?
thermal
Which two layers of the Earth are made up of rocky material?
crust and mantle
___________ is when weathered materials are deposited (placed) in a new location.
deposition
________ _______ causes the slow movement of Earth's plates.
thermal energy
What is the molten rock that rises and explodes from within a volcano?
magma
What are the preserved remains of an ancient plant or animal found in rocks?
Fossil
At a convergent boundary, one plate slips beneath another plate and begins to melt. This process forms a-
volcano
Which two elements make up the majority of the Earth's core?
iron and nickel
Geological features in oceans (trenches and ridges) and continents are caused by _____ movement.
plate
The ____ _____ is the process of one type of rock transforming into a different type of rock.
rock cycle
What tool do scientists use to help classify rocks?
classification key
At a convergent boundary, the edges of two plates can begin to buckle up and over time, form a-
mountain