Earth’s Changing Surface
What is geology?
The study of Earth’s structure, rocks, and the forces that shape it.
What causes an earthquake?
The sudden release of energy along faults where tectonic plates move.
What are the three types of rocks?
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock.
What is the name of the supercontinent from millions of years ago?
Pangaea. It existed about 300 million years ago before breaking apart into the continents we see today.
What are the four main layers of the Earth?
Crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.
What is erosion?
The process of moving rock and soil from one place to another by wind, water, or ice.
What is magma?
Melted rock found beneath the Earth's surface.
What is the rock cycle?
The continuous process of rock formation and change between different types of rocks.
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
The idea that Earth’s crust is divided into moving plates that shape the planet’s surface.
What is the mantle made of?
The mantle is made of hot, semi-solid rock that moves slowly.
How do fossils help scientists?
Fossils provide clues about past life and how Earth’s surface has changed over time.
What scale is used to measure earthquake strength?
The Richter scale and the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) are both used to measure earthquake strength.
How does igneous rock form?
When magma or lava cools and hardens.
What is continental drift?
The hypothesis that continents slowly move over time.
What is the difference between the inner core and the outer core?
The inner core is solid metal due to extreme pressure, while the outer core is liquid metal and moves (creating Earth’s magnetic field).
How do glaciers change the Earth’s surface?
Glaciers carve valleys, transport rocks, and create landforms like fjords.
How do tsunamis form?
Underwater earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions displace large amounts of water.
What is metamorphic rock?
Rock that forms when existing rock is changed by heat and pressure.
What happens when two plates collide?
They form mountains, volcanoes, or deep ocean trenches.
How did Alfred Wegener help explain how continents move?
He proposed the continental drift theory, noticing that continents fit like puzzle pieces and shared fossils, suggesting they were once connected in Pangaea.
What is weathering, and how is it different from erosion?
Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller pieces, while erosion moves them to new places.
What happened during the "Year Without a Summer"?
In 1816, Mount Tambora erupted, sending ash into the atmosphere, which cooled the Earth and caused crop failures.
How do sedimentary rocks form?
From layers of sediment that are compacted and cemented over time.
What happens at a subduction zone?
One tectonic plate sinks beneath another, often forming volcanoes and earthquakes.
What force inside the Earth moves tectonic plates?
Convection currents in the mantle—hot rock rises, cools, and sinks, pushing plates around.