Our Big Round Rock
This refers to the study of earth's physical structure, its composition, its history, and the processes that act on it
What is geology?
These are small solid fragments of rock-like gravel, sand, silt, mud, or clay
What is sediment?
This is a series of processes in which forces within Earth and on the surface causes rocks to continuously change from one type to another?
What is the rock cycle?
This is any process that breaks down rocks and creates sediment
What is weathering?
This is the process that moves sediment
What is erosion?
These are determined by the chemical make-up of components of each layer
What are earth's compositional layers?
These are solid, naturally-occurring, inorganic substances that have definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure
What are minerals?
This is the percentage of water that covers the earth
What is 71%
Ice or frost wedging is a form of this type of weathering process
What is Mechanical weathering?
This is the shape of the valley caused by sediment carried away by a stream?
What is V-shaped?
Scientists use these to "see" deep into the earth
What are sound (seismic) waves?
This is a property of minerals based on the color of the powder that comes off in a scraping on un-glazed porcelain
What is streak?
The sum of all water on a planet
What is the hydrosphere?
This occurs when one rock bumps, grinds, or scrapes against another
What is abrasion?
The curves that are created by fast water slamming into the far side of rivers
What are meanders?
These behave like something between a liquid and a solid
What are plastic rocks?
This is the tendency of a mineral to break along a regular, well-defined plane
What is cleavage?
This is the process by which water is continuously exchanged between earth's varous water sources
What is the Hydrologic cycle?
This forms when carbon dioxide mixes with water as raindrops fall and makes pits or holes in rock surfaces
What is carbonic acid?
Alluvial fans and deltas are the result of this kind of erosion
What is sediment deposition?
This is the top mechanical layer composed mainly of rocks and minerals
What is the Lithosphere?
This kind of rock if formed from molten magma
What is igneous?
Evaporation of water from plants
What is transpiration?
This happens when rocks are slowly wedged apart by plant roots
What is biomechanical weathering?
U-shaped valleys, kettle lakes, and cirques are the result of this kind of erosion
What is glacial erosion?