The Earth Inside Out
The thin layer of rock at the surface of the earth
Crust
The water held in the pores of rock
Ground water
a giant wave in the ocean caused by an earthquake
Tsunami
a large, long-lasting mass of ice
Glacier
Small pieces of rock
Sediment
The layers of gases, including oxygen, that surround the earth
Atmosphere
The molten rock that is the result of the magma melting the underside of the earth’s crust
Magma
The continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, the oceans, and the earth
hydrologic cycle
a device that measures the size of an earthquake
seismograph
physical or chemical processes that change the characteristics of rock on or near the earth’s surface
Weathering
wind-blown silt and clay sediment that produces very fertile soil
Loess
The water elements of the earth, including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and water in the atmosphere
Hydrosphere
The theory that a supercontinent divided and drifted apart over time
Continental Drift
an area drained by a major river and its tributaries
Drainage Basin
A fracture in the earth’s crust
Fault
the changing of landforms by the movement of glaciers
Glaciation
organic matter in the soil
Humus
The solid rock portion of the earth’s surface, which includes the crust and upper mantle
Lithosphere
The solid metallic center made up of iron and nickel
Core
the earth’s surface from the edge of a continent to the edge of the deep part of the ocean
continental shelf
The point on the earth’s surface directly above an earthquake
Epicenter
landform created when sediment is deposited as a river enters the ocean
Delta
a ridge of rocks left behind by a glacier
Moraine
the part of the earth where plants and animals live
Biosphere
The soft layer of molten rock that floats on top of the core
Mantle
The major geographic feature that separates one type of landform from another, which is the difference in elevation of a landform from the lowest point to the highest point
Relief
a scale that measures the energy released during an earthquake
Richer Scale
Process that breaks rocks down into smaller pieces
Mechanical Weathering
magma once it rises to the earth’s surface
Lava
The continents split and took shape by the movement of this
tectonic plates
The combination of characteristics of the landforms and their distribution in a region
Topography
a zone around the rim of the Pacific Ocean where most active volcanoes are found
the Ring of Fire
Occurs when rock is changed into a new substance because of interactions between elements in the air or water and minerals in rock
Chemical Weathering
weathered material moved by wind, water, ice, or gravity