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Science Final-vocabulary
N/A
131
Science
6th Grade
06/12/2010

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Term
topography
Definition
the shape of the land
Term
landform
Definition
a feature of topography that is formed by the processes that shape Earth's surface
Term
contour line
Definition
connects points of equal elevation
Term
contour interval
Definition
the change in elevation from contour line to contour line
Term
relief
Definition
difference in elevation between the ighest and lowest parts of an area
Term
elevation
Definition
the height above sea level of a point on Earth's surface
Term
latitude
Definition
the distance in degrees north or south of the equator
Term
longitude
Definition
the distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian
Term
seismic waves
Definition
a vibration that goes through Earth, carrying the energy released by an earthquake
Term
mineral
Definition
a naturally occuring, inorganic solid with a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition
Term
streak
Definition
the color of a mineral's powder
Term
luster
Definition
how a mineral reflects light
Term
Mohs hardness scale
Definition
a scale that ranks ten minerals from softest to hardest
Term
cleavage
Definition
a mineral that breaks apart easily along flat surfaces
Term
fracture
Definition
how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way
Term
density
Definition
the amount of mass in a given space or mass per unit volume
Term
crystal
Definition
a repeating pattern of a mineral's particles
Term
magma
Definition
molten mixture of rock-forming substances, gases, and water that make up part of Earth's mantle
Term
lava
Definition
magma that has reached the surface
Term
texture
Definition
the size, shape, and pattern of a rock's grains
Term
grain
Definition
the particles of minerals or other rocks
Term
igneous rock
Definition
rock that is formed from the cooling of molten material-magma beneath the surface or lava at the surface
Term
fine grained
Definition
small grains
Term
coarse grained
Definition
large grains
Term
sedimentary rock
Definition
rock that is formed from the remains of plants and animals or particles of other rocks or minerals pressed and cemented together
Term
clastic rock
Definition
sedimentary rock that is formed from particles of rock cemented together
Term
organic rock
Definition
sedimentary rock formed from plant and animal remains deposited into thick layers
Term
chemical rock
Definition
sedimentary rock that is formed from minerals dissolved in a solution crystallizing
Term
cementation
Definition
when minerals crystallize and glue particles of sediment together
Term
compaction
Definition
the process in which particles of sediment are pressed together
Term
metamorphic rock
Definition
when an existing rock is changed by chemical changes, heat or pressure
Term
intrusive rock
Definition
igneous rock formed from magma hardening beneath the surface
Term
extrusive rock
Definition
igneous rock formed from lava that erupted onto the surface
Term
silica
Definition
a material containing oxygen and silicon
Term
porphyritic texture
Definition
a rock that has large crystals surrounded by smaller crystals
Term
foliated
Definition
a metamorphic rock with parallel layers or bands
Term
erosion
Definition
when running water or wind loosens and carries away fragments of rock; the movement of rock by rock particles carried by ice, wind, water, or gravity; when natural forces move soil and weathered rock from oe place to another
Term
deposition
Definition
the process that settles rock fragments out of the water or wind carrying them; when the agents of erosion lay down sediment
Term
lithosphere
Definition
the rigid layer that is made up of the crust and uppermost mantle, where plates move
Term
asthenosphere
Definition
a soft layer that is where convection currents occur, beneath the lithosphere
Term
crust
Definition
the outermost thin layer of Earth
Term
inner core
Definition
located at the innermost part of Earth, a dense ball of solid metal
Term
outer core
Definition
a layer of molten metal that surrounds the inner core
Term
mantle
Definition
a layer of hot rock that contains asthenosphere and lithosphere, contains molten material
Term
heat transfer
Definition
the transfer of heat from a warmer object to a cooler object
Term
radiation
Definition
the transfer of heat through empty space, heat transfer by electromagnetic waves
Term
conduction
Definition
heat transfer by direct contact
Term
convection
Definition
heat transfer by movement of a heated fluid
Term
electromagnetic waves
Definition
a form of energy that can travel through space
Term
infrared radiation
Definition
a form of energy with wavelengths longer than red light
Term
ultraviolet radiation
Definition
a form of energy that has wavelengths shorter than violet light
Term
greenhouse effect
Definition
the process by which gases hold heat in the air
Term
Pangaea
Definition
a subcontinent that contains all of the continents supposed by Wegener
Term
wind
Definition
a horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure
Term
humidity
Definition
a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air
Term
relative humidity
Definition
the percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold
Term
local winds
Definition
winds that blow over short distances
Term
global winds
Definition
winds that blow in the same direction over long distances
Term
sea breeze
Definition
a wind that blows from the sea to the land
Term
land breeze
Definition
a wind that blows from the land to the sea
Term
subduction
Definition
when two plates converge, and one of the plates sinks beneath the other one and back into the mantle
Term
plate
Definition
a piece of Earth's lithosphere
Term
plate tectonics
Definition
a geological theory that explains that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant slow motion driven by convection currents in the mantle
Term
summer monsoon
Definition
a large sea breeze
Term
winter monsoon
Definition
a large land breeze
Term
doldrums
Definition
an area of calm winds at the equator
Term
mid-ocean ridge
Definition
a divergent boundary where new material (molten material) comes out, the longest range of mountains in the world
Term
fault
Definition
a crack in Earth's crust where two plates slip past each other
Term
shearing
Definition
a type of stress in which a mass of rock goes in two opposite directions
Term
rift valley
Definition
a divergent boundary where two continental plates are diverging
Term
transform boundary
Definition
where two plates slip past each other
Term
convergent boundary
Definition
a place where two plates converge, or come together
Term
deep ocean trench
Definition
a place where two oceanic plates converge, and one is subducted
Term
divergent boundary
Definition
a place where two plates diverge, or move apart
Term
earthquake
Definition
shaking and trembling caused by movement of rock beneath Earth's surface
Term
stress
Definition
a force that changes the shape or volume of rock
Term
compression
Definition
a stress force that squeezes rock until it folds or breaks
Term
fold
Definition
a bend in Earth's crust that forms when compression thickens and shortens the crust
Term
normal fault
Definition
a place where there is a fault at angle, and the hanging wall slips downward
Term
strike-slip fault
Definition
when two plates slip past each other sideways with little up or down motion
Term
fault-block mountain
Definition
when two normal faults uplift a block of rock, forming a mountain or plateau
Term
reverse fault
Definition
same structure as a normal fault with a hanging wall and footwall at an angle, hanging wall slips up and over the footwall
Term
tension
Definition
pulls rock apart, causing it to be thinner in the middle
Term
epicenter
Definition
the point on Earth's surface directly above the focus
Term
focus
Definition
the point beneath Earth's surface where rock under stress breaks, triggering an earthquake
Term
liquefaction
Definition
the process that turns loose, soft soil suddenly into mud during a violent earthquake
Term
magnitude
Definition
the strength of an earthquake based on the seismic waves and movement along a fault
Term
P waves
Definition
come first; compress and expand the land like an accordion
Term
S waves
Definition
waves that come second after P waves, move the land side to side as well as up and down
Term
surface waves
Definition
are slower than P waves and S waves, but cause more severe ground movement
Term
volcano
Definition
weak spot in Earth's crust where magma reaches the surface
Term
Ring of Fire
Definition
a major volcanic belt that surrounds Pacific Ocean
Term
island arc
Definition
string of islands formed when a volcano is formed from subduction
Term
hot spot
Definition
magma that melts through the crust like a blow torch
Term
batholith
Definition
A large body of rock that forms beneath Earth's surface when magma hardens beneath Earth's surface
Term
pyroclastic flow
Definition
when an explosive eruption hurls out cinders, ashes, and bombs
Term
horse latitudes
Definition
winds that blow at 30 degrees north and south of the equator, named by ship that ran out of food and water for horses, calm area
Term
jet stream
Definition
band of high-stream winds that blow at 10 kilometers above Earth's surface
Term
prevailing westerlies
Definition
winds that blow west from horse latitudes to poles
Term
polar easterlies
Definition
winds that blow east at poles
Term
trade winds
Definition
winds named after traders that went through this region; blow from horse latitudes to equator
Term
shield volcano
Definition
gently sloping mountain that produces quiet eruptions
Term
composite volcano
Definition
steep, cone-shaped mountain that has layers of lava alternate with layers of ash; produces explosive and quiet eruptions
Term
cinder cone volcano
Definition
steep, cone-shaped hill or mountain that produces explosive eruptions
Term
geothermal energy
Definition
clean reliable source from water heated by magma
Term
volcanic neck
Definition
forms when magma hardens in a volcano's pipe
Term
dike
Definition
when magma forces itself across layers of rock
Term
sill
Definition
when magma squeezes itself between layers of rock
Term
weathering
Definition
the process that breaks down rock and other substances at Earth's surface
Term
topsoil
Definition
layer of dark brown, crumbly soil that contains a mixture of humus, clay, and other minerals; a horizon
Term
subsoil
Definition
layer of soil that contains clay and other minerals washed down from a horizon, b horizon
Term
desertification
Definition
the advance of desert like conditions into areas that were once fertile
Term
atmosphere
Definition
layer of gases that surround Earth
Term
troposphere
Definition
lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere; where weather occurs
Term
stratosphere
Definition
from top of troposphere to about 50 km above Earth's surface; upper stratosphere contains ozone layer, which makes it hotter; lower stratosphere is cold
Term
ionosphere
Definition
lower layer of thermosphere; where aurora borealis occurs
Term
exosphere
Definition
outermost layer of thermosphere; where satellites are
Term
thermosphere
Definition
outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere; hottest layer; contains ionosphere and exosphere
Term
mesosphere
Definition
middle layer of Earth's atmosphere; where most meteroids burn up
Term
air pressure
Definition
the result of the weight of a column of air pushing down on you
Term
alluvial fan
Definition
wide, sloping deposit of sediment formed from a stream flowing down a mountain range
Term
runoff
Definition
remaining water that moves over Earth's surface
Term
glacier
Definition
any large mass of ice moving slowly over land
Term
flood plain
Definition
wide, flat land that is along a river
Term
meander
Definition
a looplike bend in the course of a river
Term
tributary
Definition
a stream that flows into a larger stream
Term
delta
Definition
sediment that deposits where a river flows into a lake or ocean that builds this landform
Term
moraine
Definition
the till that is deposited at the edges of a glacier form this ridge
Term
beach
Definition
wave-washed sediment along a coast
Term
longshore drift
Definition
when repeated waves cause beach sediment to move down the beach with the current
Term
deflation
Definition
the process by which wind removes surface material
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