Earth Science

Geosphere

rocks, minerals, soil, Earth's interior, etc.

Atmosphere

The gases surrounding Earth - Air

Biosphere

Living organisms — plants, animals, microorganisms, and humans.

Hydrosphere

Water on Earth — oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, etc.

Cryosphere

Frozen water — glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice, snow, etc.

Lithosphere

rigid outer part of Earth that makes up the tectonic plates

Asthenosphere

weaker, softer layer beneath the lithosphere that allows the plates to move.

Divergent

MOVE APART

Convergent

MOVE TOGETHER

Transform

SLIDE PAST

boundary associated with the most frequent earthquakes and volcanism

Plate boundaries

boundary associated with frequent earthquakes but generally NOT volcanism?

Transform

Magnetic anomalies on the seafloor form patterns because

Magnetic minerals record Earth's magnetic field as new crust forms

Moving plate + stationary hot spot =

Chain of volcanoes

Naturally occurring mineral

forms in nature

Inorganic mineral

isn't produced by living organisms.

crystalline structure

Its atoms are arranged in an organized, repeating pattern.

Definite chemical composition

It has a specific chemical composition.

Igneous

Forms when magma or lava cools and solidifies.

Sedimentary

Forms from sediments or through chemical processes.

Metamorphic

Forms when an existing rock is changed by heat, pressure, or other conditions without completely melting.

Slow cooling =

BIG crystals (Coarse-grained)

Fast cooling =

SMALL crystals (Fine-grained)

What type of formation is - A rock forms from compacted and cemented sand grains.

Physical

What type of formation is - A sedimentary rock forms when dissolved minerals precipitate from water.

Chemical

Existing rock + heat/pressure =

Metamorphic Rocks

Low-grade metamorphism

Lower temperatures/pressures (less change)

High-grade metamorphism

Higher temperatures/pressures (more change)