W-E-D
Breaks down rocks into smaller pieces
What is weathering?
This type of rock forms when melted rock cools and hardens.
What is igneous rock?
These large pieces of Earth’s lithosphere move slowly on top of the mantle.
What are tectonic plates?
This principle states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layers are on the bottom and the youngest are on top.
What is the Law of Superposition?
This is the name scientists use for the timeline of Earth’s history, divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
What is the geologic time scale?
Small pieces of rock and other material
What is sediment?
Heat and pressure deep inside Earth can change any existing rock into this type of rock.
What is metamorphic rock?
This layer of Earth allows tectonic plates to move because it is hot and semi-solid.
What is the asthenosphere?
This type of age compares rocks and fossils as older or younger without using exact numbers.
What is relative age?
Earth is estimated to be about how many years old?
What is about 4.6 billion years old?
The movement of sediments to various locations
What is erosion?
Weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, and cementation work together to form this type of rock.
What is sedimentary rock?
At this type of plate boundary, plates move away from each other, often creating new crust.
What is a divergent boundary?
Layers of rock are originally deposited in flat layers until a force such as an earthquake disturbed and move them. This principle is called...
What is the Principle of Original Horizontality?
Fossils found in rock layers show that this has changed on Earth over time.
What is life on Earth (animals, plants, organisms?)
When sediments are dropped in one place
What is deposition?
A sedimentary rock is buried deep underground, exposed to intense heat and pressure, but does not melt. What type of rock does it become?
What is metamorphic rock?
Fault lines such as the San Andreas Fault and earthquakes usually occur at this type of boundary.
What is a transform boundary?
A fault cuts through several rock layers but does not cut the top layer. What can you infer about the fault and what is this concept called?
What is older than the top layer and cross cutting relationships?
Name the categories of the geologic time scale in order from greatest to smallest.
What is Eon, Era, Period, Epoch?
When waves carry sand along the shoreline and drop it to form beaches and sandbars, which Earth process is taking place?
What is depositon?
This type of rock cooled quickly and has small crystals.
What is extrusive igneous rock?
The Himalayan Mountains formed when two continental plates collided. The type of plate boundary caused this is...
What is a convergent boundary?
Fossils that are easily recognizable, have a short lifespan, and are widely distributed are used to to identify the age of rock strata in various locations. These fossils are called...
What are index fossils?
Most of Earth’s history occurred before humans existed. What evidence do scientists use to learn about that early history?
What are rocks, fossils, and rock layers?