Earth's Layer
The rigid outer shell of Earth, made up of the crust and upper mantle
Lithosphere
The theory that Earth's surface is broken into plates that move over the asthenosphere
Plate Tectonics
rock formed when existing rock changes due to heat and pressure without melting
metamorphic
The movement of rock particles by water, wind, ice, or gravity
Erosion
The removal of trees that increases soil erosion and disrupts ecosystems
deforestation
The thick layer beneath the crust made of semi-solid rock that flows slowly
Mantle
A plate boundary where two plates move apart, forming new crust
Divergent boundary
rock formed from compacted and cemented sediments
sedimentary
The dropping or settling of sediments in a new location
Deposition
Terracing
The transfer of heat by the movement of heated material, such as in the mantle
Convection
A plate boundary where two plates collide, creating mountains or subduction zones
convergent boundary
rock formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies
igneous
The force that pulls materials toward Earth's center, driving erosion and deposition
Gravity
When animals eat vegetation faster than it can grow back, leading to soil erosion
The thin, outermost solid layer of Earth composed of rock
Crust
a plate boundary where two plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes
transform boundary
molten rock found beneath Earth's surface
Magma
A moving air current that can transport and shape sediment
Wind
Planting vegetation to stabilize soil and reduce erosion
Replanting
The center of the Earth made mostly of iron and nickel; includes inner solid and outer liquid layers
Core
the process in which one tectonic plate moves under another into the mantle
subduction
the breaking down of rock into smaller pieces by wind, water, ice, or chemical action
weathering
Frozen water that moves as glaciers, carving and shaping the land
Ice
A large estuary in VA formed by erosion and deposition of sediments from rivers
Chesapeake Bay