Science Vocab Flashcards
(151 cards)
0
Q
Process by which a moving glacier picks up loosened rock particles and adds them to the bottom of a glacier.
A
Plucking
1
Q
Wind deposits of fined grained sediments.
A
Loess
2
Q
Any type of erosion that happens as gravity moves material downslope.
A
Mass Movement
3
Q
Process by which agents of erosion drop the sediments they are carrying as they lose energy.
A
Deposition
4
Q
Bowl shaped basin formed by erosion at the start of a glacier.
A
Cirque
5
Q
When mass movement slips down along a curved edge.
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Slump
6
Q
Process that wears away surface material and moves them from one place to another.
A
Erosion
7
Q
Form where two adjacent valley glaciers meet and erode a long, sharp ridge.
A
Arête
8
Q
Occurs when sediment slowly shift their positions downhill.
A
Creep
9
Q
Moisture of different-sized sediments left behind when a glacier melts and retreats.
A
Till
10
Q
A thick mixture of sediments and water flowing down a slope.
A
Mudflow
11
Q
A large mass of ice and snow moving on land under its own weight.
A
Glacier
12
Q
Sharpened peaks formed by glacial action in three or more cirques.
A
Horn
13
Q
Material deposited by the meltwater from a glacier. Most often beyond the end of the glacier.
A
Outwash
14
Q
Occurs when layers of rock slip down slope suddenly.
A
Rock Slide
15
Q
Wind blowing across loose sediment, removing small particles such as silt and sand.
A
Deflation
16
Q
Force of attraction that pulls all objects towards Earth’s center.
A
Gravity
17
Q
Blocks of rock break loose from a steep slope and tumble through the air.
A
Rockfall
18
Q
Process by which wind blown sediment strikes rock and wears away its surface.
A
Abrasion
19
Q
Large ridge of material that piles up and looks as though it has been pushed along by a glacier.
A
Esker
20
Q
Glacial sand and gravel formed by meltwater that appear to look like a long, winding ridge.
A
Moraine
21
Q
Broad bend in a river or stream.
A
Meander
22
Q
Current that runs parallel to the shoreline.
A
Longshore Current
23
Q
Water that doesn’t soak into the ground or evaporate but instead flows across Earth’s surface.
A
Runoff
24
Underground opening that forms when cracks in limestone enlarge.
Cave
25
Deposit of sediment that are parallel to the shore.
Beach
26
When pore spaces are connected and water can pass through.
Permeable
27
Deposit formed from the floor of a cave.
Stalagmite
28
Area of land from which a stream or river collects runoff.
Drainage Basin
29
Depression on the surface of the ground that forms when the roof of a cave collapses or when material near the surface dissolves.
Sinkhole
30
When pore spaces are poorly connected and water cannot pass through them.
Impermeable
31
The broad, flat valley floor formed by a meandering stream.
Floodplain
32
Deposit formed from the ceiling of a cave.
Stalactite
33
Gullies are formed when water carried away large amounts of soil.
Gully Erosion
34
The area where all of the pores in the rock are filled with water.
Zone of Saturation
35
Hot springs where all of the pores in the rock are filled with water.
Geyser
36
Begins when a small stream forms during a heavy rain.
Rill Erosion
37
Water that soaks into the ground and collects in pores and empty spaces.
Groundwater
38
Groundwater that comes in contact with hot rocks prior to coming to the surface.
Hot Spring
39
Water that is flowing as sheets picks up and carries away sediments.
Sheet Erosion
40
Upper surface of the zone of saturation.
Water Table
41
Water flowing out of the water table so close to Earth's surface.
Spring
42
Water moving down the same path creates a groove on the slope where the water eroded the soil.
Channel
43
Layer of permeable rock that let's water move freely.
Aquifer
44
Well in which water rises to the surface under pressure.
Artesian Well
45
Part of the Earth that is liquid and made mostly of iron.
Outer Core
46
Very center of the Earth made of mostly iron.
Inner Core
47
Rock above the fault surface moves downward in relation to rock below the fault.
Normal Fault
48
Outermost layer of earth.
Crust
49
Area where no seismic waves are recorded.
Shadow Zone
50
Rock in either side of the fault are moving downward in relation to rock below the fault surface.
Strike-slip Fault
51
Boundary between crust and upper mantle where speed of seismic waves change.
Moho Discontinuity
52
Rock above the fault surface moves upward in relation to rock below the fault surface.
Reverse Fault
53
Particles in rock move in a backwards, rolling motion and a side-to-side, swaying motion.
Surface Wave
54
Surface along which rocks move when they have exceeded their elastic limit.
Fault
55
Largest layer of the Earth and is made of mostly silicon and other metals.
Mantle
56
Structure built to resist damage from the shaking of an earthquake.
Seismic Safe
57
Ocean waves caused by earthquakes.
Tsunamis
58
Point where energy first occurs.
Focus
59
Vibration produced by the breaking of rock.
Earthquake
60
Particle in rock move back and forth in the same direction the wave is traveling.
Primary Wave
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Particle in rock move at a right angle to the direction of the wave.
Secondary Wave
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Point on Earth's surface directly above the earthquakes focus.
Epicenter
63
Instrument used to register earthquake waves and record the time that each arrive.
Seismograph
64
Wave generated by earthquakes that travel through Earth
Seismic Waves
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Scientists who study earthquakes and seismic waves.
Seismologists
66
Measure of the energy that is released in an earthquake
Magnitude
67
Composed of oceanic or continental crust and upper mantle.
Lithosphere
68
Rock above the fault surface move upward relative to the the rock below the fault.
Reverse Fault
69
Plait like layer below the lithosphere.
Asthenosphere
70
Rocks on opposite sides of the fault move in opposite directions.
Strike-slip Fault
71
Sensing device to detect magnetic magnetic feilds.
Magnetometer
72
Idea that continents move slowly across Earth.
Continental Drift
73
Rock above the fault surface moves down relative to the rock below the fault surface.
Normal Fault
74
Theory proposed by Harry Hess that includes processes along mid-ocean plates.
Sea-floor Spreading
75
Location at which one plate slides under a second plate as a result of density.
Subduction Zone
76
Sections of Earth's crust and upper mantle.
Plates
77
Forms when two plates slide part each other.
Transform Boundary
78
Cycle of heating, rising, cooling, and sinking.
Convection Current
79
Forms when two plates separate.
Divergent Boundary
80
Earth's crust and upper mantle are broken into plates that float and move around.
Plate Techtonic
81
Forms when two plates collide.
Convergent Boundary
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Large, ancient landmass that consisted of all the continents on Earth.
Pangea
83
Rock layers are folded like a rug that has been pushed up against a wall.
Folded Mountians
84
Flat, raised areas of land made up of nearly horizontal rocks that have been uplifted by force within Earth.
Plateau
85
Made by projecting points and lines from a globe onto a cone.
Conic Projection
86
Blocks of Earth's crust are pushed up by forces inside Earth.
Upwarped Mountians
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Project correct shapes of continents, but the areas are distorted.
Mercator Projection
88
Feature that makes up the shape of the land at Earth's surface.
Landform
89
Molten material reaches the surface through a week area of the crust.
Volcanic Mountians
90
Large, flat area, often found in the interior regions of continents.
Plains
91
Shows little distortion in continent shapes and sizes.
Robinson Projection
92
Huge, tilted blocks of rock are separated from surrounding rock by fault.
Fault-block Mountians
93
Method of collecting information about Earth from a distance, often using satellites.
Remote Sensing
94
Transition line for calendar days.
International Date Line
95
Distance above or below sea level.
Elevation
96
Distance, measured in degrees, east or west of the prime meridian.
Longitude
97
Difference in elevation between two side-by-side contour line.
Contour Interval
98
Models that change in elevation of Earth's surface.
Topographic Map
99
Satellite based, radio-navigate system that allows users to determine their exact position anywhere on Earth.
Global Positioning System
100
Imaginary line that represents 0 degrees longitude.
Prime Meridian
101
Line on a map that connects points of equal elevation.
Contour Line
102
Imaginary line around Earth exactly halfway between the north and south poles.
Equator
103
Distance, measured in degrees, either north or south of the equator.
Latitude
104
Relationship between the distance on the map an distance on Earth's surface.
Map Scale
105
Belt of active volcanos that circles the Pacific Ocean.
Pacific Ring Of Fire
106
Steep-sided, loosely packed volcano formed when lava flows without erupting violently.
Cinder Cone Volcano
107
Opening through which lava flows out.
Vent
108
Opening in Earth that erupts gases, ash, and lava.
Volcano
109
Large depression formed when the top of a volcano collapses.
Caldera
110
Magma that is forced into a crack that cuts across rock layers and hardens.
Dike
111
Bits of rock or solidified lava dropped from the air.
Tephra
112
Large intrusive igneous rock feature.
Batholiths
113
Magma that is forced into a crack parallel to rock layers and hardens.
Sill
114
Solid core that remains after the cone eroded away.
Volcanic Neck
115
Broad volcano with gently sloping slides.
Shield Volcano
116
Volcano where tephra and lava are found in alternating layers.
Composite Volcano
117
Area in which hot rock is forced toward the crust where it melts partially.
Hot Spot
118
Steep-walled depression around a volcano's vent.
Crater
119
Gas that forms under similar conditions with oil.
Natural Gas
120
Energy from the sun.
Solar Energy
121
Energy obtained by using hot magma or hot, dry rocks inside Earth.
Geothermal Energy
122
Deposit of useful minerals.
Mineral Resource
123
Fuel that forms from the remains of plants and other organism that were buried and altered over millions of years.
Fossil Fuel
124
Energy source produced from atomic reactions.
Nuclear Energy
125
Deposits in which a mineral or minerals exist in large enough amounts to be mined at a profit.
Ore
126
Electricity produced by waterpower.
Hydroelectric Energy
127
Thick, black liquid formed from the buried remains of microscopic marine organisms.
Oil
128
Using materials to make new ones.
Recycling
129
Rock that forms from plant remains
Coal
130
Splitting of heavy elements to produce energy.
Nuscular Fission
131
A large number of windmills placed in one area for the purpose of generating electricity.
Wind Farm
132
Amount of a fossil fuel that can be extracted at a profit using current technology.
Reserve
133
Energy derived from burning organic material such as wood, alcohol, and garbage.
Biomass Energy
134
Term that describes all the waters of Earth.
Hydrosphere
135
Made of oxygen and absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation that enters the atmosphere.
Ozone
136
Transfer of heat by the flow of material.
Convection
137
Movement of air from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure.
Wind
138
Chemical compounds used in some refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays.
Chlorofluorocarbons
139
Narrow belts of strong winds that blow near the top of the troposphere.
Jet Stream
140
Brown haze created from pollutants, oxygen, and chemicals mixing in the presence of sunlight.
Smog
141
Windless, rainy zone along the equator
Doldrums
142
Winds near the equator that are deflected to the west.
Trade Winds
143
Transfer of energy that occurs when molecules bump into each other.
Conduction
144
Near 30 degrees north and south, this air is deflected west to east.
Prevailing Westerlies
145
Rotation of Earth causes moving air and water to appear to turn to the right north of the equator and to the left south of the equator.
Coriolis Effect
146
In the polar regions, this air is deflated away from the poles from east to west.
Polar Easterlies
147
Movement of air toward the land from the water.
Sea Breeze
148
Layer of electrically charged particles located within the mesosphere and thermosphere.
Ionosphere
149
Energy that is transferred in the form of rays or waves.
Radiation
150
Movement of air toward the water of land.
Land Breeze
