Unit 8 - Earth Systems (H)

Tornado

A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth's surface.

Flood

An overflowing of water in a normally dry area

Hurricane

A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and whose strong winds spiral in toward the eye

Earthquake

The shaking that results from the movement of tectonic plates beneath Earth's surface

Tsunami

a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or other disturbance

Volcano

A vent or crack in the Earth's surface through which magma and gases are expelled

Pineywoods

Heavy rainfall, lots of plants and trees, flat land, little erosion by water and wind

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes

Along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, humid and warm with much rainfall, high erosion by wind and water

Edwards Plateau

Erosion has left most of the region lined with limestone rock layers. Chemical weathering has formed many caves and caverns

Trans Pecos

Rain does not fall evenly over the area and creates the "Desert portion" of Texas

Rolling Plains

Soils in this area are most fertile and sought after for crop production. Periods of drought create large amounts of wind erosion

Llano Uplift

Considered the oldest land in Texas. Soil is not prone to flooding because it allows water to infiltrate very easily.

Enchanted Rock

Hard granite dome formed underground, exposed as softer rock above weathered & eroded away

South Texas Brush Country

Rocky, dry soil cannot support grasses, but short trees can thrive because of their deeper root system.

Coastal Sand Plain

Catastrophic events such as hurricanes can increase wave erosion and deposition here and in the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Stalagmite

a conical mineral deposit formed on the floor of a cave by the deposition of mineral-rich water

Stalactite

a conical mineral deposit formed on the roof of a cave by the deposition of mineral-rich water

Cavern

A large cave

Cave

A deep, hollowed-out area under the earth's surface caused by chemical weathering

Chemical Weathering

The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes

Carbonic Acid

A very weak acid formed in when carbon dioxide dissolves in water. Can chemically dissolve limestone to form caves

Watershed

An area where all groundwater and surface water drains into the same body of water.

Surface Water

Water that collects above the surface of the ground

Groundwater

The water that is beneath Earth's surface

Aquifer

A permeable rock layer that can hold or transport groundwater

Water Table

The highest level of groundwater in an area, beneath the Earth's surface

Permeability

Ability of rock or soil to allow water to flow through it

Runoff

Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

Ecoregion

A relatively large area that is characterized by distinctive plant and animal communities, climate, and ecological features.

Weathering

The breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.

Erosion

The movement of sediment from one place to another

Deposition

The placement of sediment after being carried from place of origin

Storm Surge

A swell of water that sweeps across the coast where a hurricane lands and causes the most damage.

Oil, Fertilizer, Sewage, Pesticides, Chemicals

Types of groundwater contamination

Ogallala Aquifer

Largest aquifer in North America.

Groundwater Contamination

When toxic materials are introduced into groundwater