Plate Tectonics and Soil Formation
Studied by 0 people
Call Kai
Learn
Practice Test
Spaced Repetition
Match
Flashcards
Knowt Play1/39
Earn XP
Description and Tags
These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to plate tectonics, soil formation, and atmospheric phenomena to aid in exam preparation.
Name | Mastery | Learn | Test | Matching | Spaced |
|---|
No study sessions yet.
40 Terms
Lithosphere
The thin rock layer that floats on an ocean of magma and is broken into tectonic plates.
Tectonic Plates
Chunks of the lithosphere that collide to create geological features such as mountains.
Plate Boundaries
Three types of boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform fault boundaries, which define the interaction between tectonic plates.
Convection Currents
Big circular movements inside the mantle caused by the heating and cooling of magma, driving the motion of tectonic plates.
Subduction
The process where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another, often leading to volcanic activity.
Hotspot
An area where magma rises straight up and melts the plate edges, forming volcanoes.
Humus
Decomposed organic matter that adds nutrients to the soil.
Weathering
The process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces, which can occur physically, biologically, or chemically.
Erosion
The movement of weathered rock by wind or water, followed by deposition to form soil.
Albedo
The measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects; high albedo surfaces reflect more light.
Insolation
The amount of solar radiation reaching a specific area, measured in Watts/m^2.
Coriolis Effect
The deflection of moving air and water due to Earth's rotation, which affects global wind patterns.
Watershed
All the land that drains into a specific body of water; influenced by ridges, vegetation, and soil.
Soil Horizons
Layers of soil that vary in composition and properties, including O, A, B, and C horizons.
El Niño
A climate pattern that involves warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific and can cause increased rainfall in South America.
La Niña
A climate pattern that involves cooler ocean temperatures in the Pacific and can lead to drier conditions in South America.
Thermohaline Circulation
A deep-ocean current system driven by temperature and salinity differences in the ocean.
Eutrophication
The enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, often leading to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels.
Lithosphere
The thin rock layer that floats on an ocean of magma and is broken into tectonic plates.
Tectonic Plates
Chunks of the lithosphere that collide to create geological features such as mountains.
Plate Boundaries
Three types of boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform fault boundaries, which define the interaction between tectonic plates.
Convection Currents
Big circular movements inside the mantle caused by the heating and cooling of magma, driving the motion of tectonic plates.
Subduction
The process where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another, often leading to volcanic activity.
Hotspot
An area where magma rises straight up and melts the plate edges, forming volcanoes.
Humus
Decomposed organic matter that adds nutrients to the soil.
Weathering
The process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces, which can occur physically, biologically, or chemically.
Erosion
The movement of weathered rock by wind or water, followed by deposition to form soil.
Albedo
The measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects; high albedo surfaces reflect more light.
Insolation
The amount of solar radiation reaching a specific area, measured in Watts/m^2.
Coriolis Effect
The deflection of moving air and water due to Earth's rotation, which affects global wind patterns.
Watershed
All the land that drains into a specific body of water; influenced by ridges, vegetation, and soil.
Soil Horizons
Layers of soil that vary in composition and properties, including O, A, B, and C horizons.
El Ni
o
A climate pattern that involves warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific and can cause increased rainfall in South America.
La Ni
a
A climate pattern that involves cooler ocean temperatures in the Pacific and can lead to drier conditions in South America.
Thermohaline Circulation
A deep-ocean current system driven by temperature and salinity differences in the ocean.
Eutrophication
The enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, often leading to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels.
O-Horizon
The uppermost layer of soil, primarily consisting of organic matter in various stages of decomposition.
A-Horizon (Topsoil)
The layer below the O-horizon, characterized by a mix of organic matter and weathered mineral particles, rich in nutrients, and often dark in color.
B-Horizon (Subsoil)
The layer below the A-horizon where leached minerals and clay accumulate, containing less organic material than the upper layers.
C-Horizon (Parent Material)
The deepest soil layer, composed of partially weathered bedrock or unconsolidated sediment, from which the upper soil horizons develop.