Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Earth Science
PVHS Earth Science Vocabulary
61
Science
9th Grade
02/16/2011

Additional Science Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Absolute Magnitude
Definition
How bright a star would be if it was 10 parsecs from earth.
Term
Abyssal Plain
Definition
A large flat area on the ocean floor, composed of sediments that originated mostly on continents.
Term
Acid Rain
Definition
Rainwater that contains unusually high amounts of acids that can be traced back to pollutants.
Term
Atmosphere
Definition
The gaseous envelope of air surrounding Earth.
Term
Autumnal Equinox
Definition
Start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. One of two days where day and night are equal in length.
Term
Bedrock
Definition
The solid rock that lies under loose material, such as soil, clay, sand and gravel.
Term
Chemical Weathering
Definition
The breakdown of rock that takes place when minerals are changed into different substances.
Term
Chromosphere
Definition
The inner layer of the sun's atmosphere located above the photosphere and below the corona.
Term
Cleavage
Definition
The tendency of a mineral to split along planes of its crystalline structure where bonds are the weakest.
Term
Continental Shelf
Definition
The flat or gently sloping submerged part of the continent.
Term
Continental Slope
Definition
The steep boundary between the continental shelf and the continental rise.
Term
Convection Currents
Definition
The transfer of heat energy in a liquid or gas through the circulation of heated particles within the substance.
Term
Corona
Definition
The outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere.
Term
Density
Definition
The ratio between the mass and the volume of a substance.
Term
Element
Definition
A substance composed of atoms that are chemically alike and that cannot be broken down by ordinary means.
Term
Erosion
Definition
The removal and transport of materials by natural agents such as wind and running water.
Term
Extinction
Definition
No longer in existence.
Term
Extrusive
Definition
Igneous rocks formed from Magma outside the Earth.
Term
Fossil Fuel
Definition
A nonrenewable fuel that formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago. (coal, petroleum and natural gas)
Term
Fusion
Definition
The combining of the nuclei of lighter elements to form a heavier element. This is where the sun gets it's energy.
Term
Geologic Time Scale
Definition
Summary of major events in Earth's past that are preserved in the rock record.
Term
Hardness
Definition
The resistance of a mineral to scratching.
Term
Humus
Definition
An organic substance consisting of decayed vegetable or animal matter that increases the ability of soil to retain water.
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
A tentative explanation for an observation or phenomenon, developed from available information and used as basis for testing.
Term
Igneous Rocks
Definition
Rock formed by the cooling and hardening of magma.
Term
Impermeable
Definition
Rock material through which water does not pass.
Term
Intrusive
Definition
Igneous rocks formed from Magma inside the Earth.
Term
Latitude
Definition
East-west lines parallel to the equator used to measure distance in degrees north and south.
Term
Longitude
Definition
North-south lines running between the poles, used to measure distance east and west of the prime meridian.
Term
Magma
Definition
Hot molten rock that forms beneath Earth's surface.
Term
Mantle
Definition
The thickest of Earth's layers, located between the outer core and the crust.
Term
Mechanical Weathering
Definition
The breakdown of rock that takes place when a rock is broken into smaller pieces of the same substance.
Term
Mineral
Definition
A naturally occurring inorganic solid with a distinct chemical composition and crystalline structure.
Term
Moh's Hardness Scale
Definition
Scale used to express the hardness of minerals.
Term
Molds
Definition
Hollow depression in rock formed when a fossil dissolves out of the rock. Shows original shape of the fossil.
Term
Nebula
Definition
A large cloud of gas and dust in space.
Term
Nonrenewable Energy
Definition
A resource that exists in a fixed amount or is used up faster than it can be replaced in nature.
Term
Organic
Definition
Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms.
Term
Ozone Layer
Definition
A region of the upper atmosphere that absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation.
Term
Photosphere
Definition
The visible outer layer of the sun.
Term
Piedmont
Definition
The plateau between the coastal plain and the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia
Term
Pyroclastic Material
Definition
Solid rock fragments that are ejected during a volcanic eruption.
Term
Renewable Energy
Definition
A natural resource that can replenish itself naturally over time.
Term
Revolution
Definition
Orbital motion around a point (the sun)
Term
River Basin
Definition
The land area drained by a river and its tributaries.
Term
Rotation
Definition
The process of turning around a center or axis.
Term
Sediments
Definition
Solid fragments of material that comes from the weathering of rock and are carried and deposited by wind, water or ice.
Term
Seismograph
Definition
An instrument that detects and records waves produced by earthquakes.
Term
Solar System
Definition
The sun and its family of orbiting planets, moons and debris.
Term
Summer Solstice
Definition
The first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, when the noon sun appears to reach its most northern point in the sky.
Term
Summit
Definition
The highest point; the top.
Term
Tectonic Plates
Definition
The part of the Earth's crust the moves, floats and sometimes fractures. Their interaction can cause earthquakes, volcanoes or mountains.
Term
Topography
Definition
All natural and human-made surface features of a particular area.
Term
Trench
Definition
A long, steep sided valley on the ocean floor.
Term
Vernal Equinox
Definition
Start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when the noon sun is directly over the equator. Day and night are equal length.
Term
Water Table
Definition
The surface below which the ground is saturated with water.
Term
Weathering
Definition
The breakup of rock due to exposure to processes that occur at or near the Earth's surface.
Term
Water Table
Definition
The surface below which the ground is saturated with water.
Term
Winter Solstice
Definition
The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, when the noon sun appears to reach its most southern point in the sky.
Term
Zone of Aeration
Definition
Area of ground that water passes through.
Term
Zone of Saturation
Definition
Area of the ground that contains as much water as it can hold.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!