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Soil, Rock and Landforms
Vocabulary Words for the FOSS Module "Soil, Rocks and Landforms"
106
Science
4th Grade
02/23/2013

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Term
abrasion
Definition
the rubbing, grinding, and bumping of rocks that cause physical weathering
Term
acid
Definition
a substance that geologists use to identify rocks that contain calcite
Term
acid
Definition
rain a form of precipitation containing acid, which forms when carbon dioxide gas in the air dissolves in water droplets; a form of chemical weathering
Term
aggregate
Definition
a mass of rock particles, such as pebbles, gravel, and sand
Term
alluvial
Definition
fan a fan-shaped deposit of rocks formed where a stream flows from a steep slope onto flatter land
Term
basalt
Definition
a dark rock formed from cooling lava
Term
bauxite
Definition
an ore that has aluminum in it
Term
birthstone
Definition
a gem mineral that is identified with a month of the year
Term
break
Definition
to smash or split into pieces
Term
calcite
Definition
a common rock-forming mineral in Earth’s crust
Term
canyon
Definition
a V-shaped gorge with steep sides eroded by a stream
Term
cement
Definition
a fine gray powder made from limestone; component of concrete
Term
chemical
Definition
reaction a process in which two or more materials mix in a way that forms new materials
Term
chemical
Definition
weathering the process by which the minerals in a rock can change due to chemicals in water and air. Chemical weathering can cause rocks to break apart.
Term
clay
Definition
the smallest category of rock pieces; component of soil
Term
cleavage
Definition
the flat surfaces of freshly broken minerals
Term
concrete
Definition
a mixture of gravel, sand, cement, and water
Term
conglomerate
Definition
a rock composed of smaller pieces like clay, silt, sand, gravel, and pebbles
Term
core
Definition
the center of Earth, made mostly of iron and nickel
Term
crust
Definition
Earth’s outer layer of solid rock
Term
decay
Definition
when dead plants or animals break down into small pieces
Term
delta
Definition
a fan-shaped deposit of earth materials at the mouth of a stream
Term
deposition
Definition
the settling of sediments
Term
dissolve
Definition
when a material mixes uniformly into another
Term
earth
Definition
material any natural resource that makes up Earth, including soil and water
Term
earthquake
Definition
a sudden movement of Earth’s crust along a fault
Term
erosion
Definition
the carrying away of weathered earth materials by water, wind, or ice
Term
expand
Definition
when the volume of a substance increases or gets bigger
Term
fault
Definition
a break in Earth’s crust along which blocks of rock move past each other
Term
feldspar
Definition
a common rock-forming mineral in Earth’s crust
Term
flood
Definition
a large amount of water flowing over land that is usually dry
Term
floodplain
Definition
land covered by water during a flood. Small particles, like sand and silt, are deposited on a floodplain
Term
fluorite
Definition
a mineral that comes in a variety of colors, can be scratched with a paper clip, and glows under an ultraviolet light source
Term
fossil
Definition
any remains, trace, or imprint of animal or plant life preserved in Earth’s crust
Term
fossil
Definition
fuel plants and animals that became buried under sediments millions of years ago, then slowly transformed into deposits of carbon-rich substances, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas
Term
fracture
Definition
the uneven, rounded, or splintered surfaces of some minerals when they break
Term
freeze
Definition
to become hard or stiffened due to loss of heat
Term
galena
Definition
an ore mineral for lead and silver that has a metallic luster and is heavy for its size
Term
gem
Definition
a hard mineral that can be cut into beautiful shapes
Term
geologist
Definition
a scientist who studies Earth, its materials, and its history
Term
geoscientist
Definition
a scientist who studies the use, distribution, and conservation of Earth’s natural resources
Term
geothermal
Definition
power alternative energy source that comes from the internal heat of the earth
Term
glacier
Definition
a large mass of ice moving slowly over land
Term
gold
Definition
a valuable dense metal that is found in ore and nuggets
Term
granite
Definition
an igneous rock that forms inside Earth
Term
gravel
Definition
rocks that are smaller than pebbles but bigger than sand; component of soil
Term
gypsum
Definition
a mineral that forms rosettes or fibers, can be scratched with a fingernail, and is used to make plaster
Term
hardness
Definition
a property of minerals determined by resistance to scratching
Term
hematite
Definition
an iron ore mineral that has a metallic luster and leaves a reddish-brown streak
Term
hornblende
Definition
a mineral that is a component of granite that has long crystals with parallel sides
Term
igneous
Definition
rock a rock that forms when melted rock
Term
landform
Definition
a feature of the land, such as a mountain, canyon, or beach
Term
landslide
Definition
the sudden movement of earth materials down a slope
Term
lava
Definition
melted rock erupting onto Earth’s surface, usually from a volcano
Term
limestone
Definition
a sedimentary rock made mostly of calcite
Term
luster
Definition
a description of the way light reflects off the surface of a mineral
Term
magma
Definition
melted rock below Earth’s surface
Term
magnetic
Definition
a property of minerals that are attracted to magnets
Term
magnetism
Definition
a property of certain kinds of materials that causes them to attract iron or steel
Term
magnetite
Definition
a mineral that contains iron and sticks to magnets
Term
mantle
Definition
the solid rock material between Earth’s core and crust
Term
marble
Definition
a metamorphic rock formed when limestone is subjected to heat and pressure
Term
meander
Definition
a curve or loop in a river or stream
Term
metallic
Definition
describing the luster of a mineral that shines like metal
Term
metamorphic
Definition
rock a rock that forms when rocks and minerals are subjected to heat and pressure
Term
mica
Definition
a mineral that pulls apart in thin, flexible sheets and is one of the components of granite
Term
mineral
Definition
ingredient of a rock
Term
model
Definition
a representation of the features and actions of a natural system or process
Term
Mohs’
Definition
scale a numerical scale used by geologists to rank minerals according to their hardness, with 10 being the hardest mineral
Term
mountain
Definition
a high, steeply sloped area where rock is uplifted along a fault or created by a volcano
Term
natural
Definition
resource a material such as soil or water that comes from the natural environment
Term
nonmetallic
Definition
describing the luster of a mineral that does not shine like a metal
Term
nonrenewable
Definition
resource a resource that is not replenished because it takes extended geological periods to form, such as rocks, minerals, and fossil fuels
Term
nutrient
Definition
something that living things need to grow and stay healthy
Term
opaque
Definition
describing matter that does not let light shine through it
Term
ore
Definition
a rock or mineral that has a valuable substance in it, such as gold
Term
ore
Definition
mineral a mineral from which a valuable material, usually a metal, is extracted
Term
particle
Definition
a very small piece or part
Term
pebble
Definition
the largest category of rock pieces; component of soil
Term
physical
Definition
weathering the process by which rocks are broken down by breaking and banging
Term
property
Definition
something that you can observe about an object or a material. Size, color, shape, texture, and smell are properties.
Term
pumice
Definition
a type of rock that forms when lava erupts from volcanoes
Term
pyrite
Definition
a yellow mineral with a metallic luster; also known as fool’s gold
Term
quartz
Definition
a common mineral in igneous rocks
Term
react
Definition
to act or change in response to something
Term
renewable
Definition
resource a resource that is naturally replenished continuously and quickly, such as sunlight, water, and air
Term
retain
Definition
to hold or continue to hold
Term
river
Definition
channel a river that flows deeper in the center and moves along a confined path
Term
river
Definition
mouth the area of a river where it flows into sea or lake
Term
rock
Definition
a solid earth material made of two or more minerals
Term
rock
Definition
cycle the processes by which rocks change into different kinds of rocks
Term
sand
Definition
rocks that are smaller than gravel, but bigger than silt; component of soil
Term
sandstone
Definition
a sedimentary rock made of sand particles stuck together
Term
scratch
Definition
test method used to find out how hard a mineral is compared to other minerals
Term
sediment
Definition
pieces of weathered rock such as sand, deposited by wind, water, and ice
Term
sedimentary
Definition
rock a rock that forms when layers of sediments get stuck together
Term
silt
Definition
rocks that are smaller than sand, but bigger than clay
Term
slope
Definition
the angle of the land over which water flows
Term
soil
Definition
a mix of humus, sand, silt, clay, gravel, and/or pebbles
Term
solar
Definition
energy an alternative energy source from the sun that drives the water cycle and produces wind, ocean waves, and flowing water in rivers and streams
Term
streak
Definition
the mark left when a mineral sample is rubbed on a tile
Term
transport
Definition
to move or carry from one place to another
Term
valley
Definition
a low area between mountains where a stream or glacier flows. Stream valleys are V-shaped. Glacier valleys are often U-shaped
Term
volcano
Definition
an opening in Earth’s crust where lava, cinders, ash, and gases come to the surface
Term
weathering
Definition
the process by which larger rocks crack and break apart over time to form smaller rocks
Term
wind
Definition
power an alternative energy source that uses the power of the wind
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