Untitled Flashcards Set

Continental Crust

The thick part of the earth's crust that forms the continents, primarily composed of granite.

Oceanic Crust

The thinner part of the earth's crust that underlies the ocean basins, primarily composed of basalt.

Minerals

Naturally occurring, solid substances with a specific chemical composition.

Sediments

Particles of soil, sand, and mineral fragments that settle out of water or air.

Igneous Rocks

Rocks formed from cooled and solidified magma or lava.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks that have been changed from their original form through heat and pressure.

Regional Metamorphism

Widespread changes in rocks due to high pressure and temperature over large areas.

Contact Metamorphism

Localized changes in rocks due to nearby molten magma or lava.

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed by the accumulation and compacting of sediments.

Pumice

A type of volcanic rock that is light and porous, formed from lava that cools quickly.

Intrusive Igneous Rock

Igneous rock that forms from magma that cools and solidifies inside the Earth's crust.

Extrusive Igneous Rock

Igneous rock that forms from lava that cools and solidifies on the Earth's surface.

Clastic Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from the accumulation of fragments of pre-existing rocks.

Chemical Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from the precipitation of mineral from water.

Organic Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from the accumulation of plant and animal debris.

Watersheds

Land areas that drain into a particular river or body of water.

River Headwaters

The source or beginning of a river.

Transition Zone

The area where a river moves from higher elevation to lower elevation.

River Deposits

Sediments that are carried by a river and deposited along its banks or mouth.

Tributaries Combine

When smaller rivers join with a larger river.

Floodplain Zone

The low-lying area adjacent to a river that can be flooded.

River Delta

A landform created by the deposition of sediment at the mouth of a river.

Flooding Deposits

Sediments deposited during flooding events.

Dams

Structures built to block the flow of water in rivers.

Effects of Dams

Dams can alter water flow, sediment transport, and ecosystem dynamics.

20 common minerals

A classification of widely recognized minerals used in geology.

Rock Formation

The process by which different types of rocks are created and altered.

Sedimentary rocks don’t always stay sedimentary rocks

Rocks can transform from one type to another through geological processes.