Earth's Structure
What are Earth's 4 main systems?
Atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere
What is the definition of a mineral?
A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure
What are the 3 main rock types?
Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
What is erosion?
Movement of sediment by wind, water, ice, or gravity
What was Pangaea?
a supercontinent
What is the geosphere mostly made of?
Rock and metal (solid material)
What is luster?
How a mineral reflects light
What rock forms from layers of sediment?
sedimentary
What is deposition?
When sediment is dropped or settles in a new location
Who proposed continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
What sphere includes all living things?
biosphere
What tool ranks mineral hardness?
Mohs hardness scale
What type of rock forms from magma under the crust?
Intrusive Igneous
Name one landform created by water erosion.
Canyons, valleys, or meanders
What is a mid-ocean ridge?
An underwater mountain range where new crust forms
What happens to temperature as you go deeper into the Earth?
it increases
What does “inorganic” mean in mineral terms?
It is not made from living things
What are the two types of metamorphic rocks?
foliated and non-foliated
What is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
Physical breaks rock; chemical changes it
What happens at a transform boundary?
Plates slide past and cause earthquakes
What two layers make up the lithosphere?
crust and upper mantle
What elements make up most silicate minerals?
Silicon and oxygen
What process turns any rock into magma?
melting
How can wind create landforms?
It can create dunes and move sediment (e.g., loess)
How does mantle convection move tectonic plates?
Rising hot mantle and sinking cool mantle cause movement