SCIENCE 9 Q3

Volcano

A vent or fissure in the planet's crust through which lava, ash, rock, and gases erupt.

Magma Chamber

Lies inside the earth; stores hot, melted rock called magma.

Central Vent

Opening at the top of the volcano where lava, rock, and materials pour out.

Conduit

Vertical channel through which magma moves up to the Earth's surface.

Crater

Bowl-shaped hole that forms at the top of the volcano.

Lava Flow

Hot lava that flows down the sides of a volcano, cooling and hardening as it moves.

Magma

Molten rock that is stored in the Earth’s crust and natural material for all igneous rocks.

Lava

Magma that has reached the surface of the Earth through a volcano vent.

Cinder Cone Volcano

Cone-shaped volcano with steep sides built from lava fragments called cinders.

Shield Volcano

Large, shield-shaped volcano with gentle slopes, formed from slow-moving lava.

Composite Volcano

Upside-down V-shaped volcano formed from explosive eruptions.

Active Volcano

A volcano that is erupting regularly or has erupted recently.

Dormant Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted for a long time but may erupt in the future.

Extinct Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted in historic times and is unlikely to erupt again.

Pacific Ring of Fire

A zone encircling the Pacific Ocean where major earthquakes and active volcanoes frequently occur.

Lithospheric Plates

Plates that make up the fractured surface of the Earth.

Endogenic Forces

Forces that originate from within the Earth.

Diastrophism

Processes that elevate or build up portions of the Earth’s crust.

Volcanicity

The process through which gases and molten rock are extruded or intruded into the Earth's crust.

Intrusive Features

Volcanic features that form below the Earth's surface and are revealed through erosion.

Dykes

Vertical intrusions formed where magma solidifies in vertical cracks.

Sills

Horizontal intrusions formed where magma solidifies in between existing rock layers.

Laccoliths

Intrusive features that form when viscous magma forces overlying rocks to bulge.

Batholiths

Large-scale intrusive features from which dykes, sills, and laccoliths may derive.

Seismic Waves

Energy waves that travel through the Earth's interior or along its surface.

Focus (Hypocenter)

The point of origin of an earthquake within the Earth's crust.

Epicenter

The point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter.

Seismograph

An instrument that records seismic waves.

Normal Fault

A fault that moves vertically, associated with diverging tectonic plates.

Reverse Fault

A fault where a plate is thrust upward due to compression.

Strike-Slip Fault

A fault where two plates move past one another horizontally.

Tectonic Plates

Large solid pieces of the lithosphere that shift on the mantle.

Fault

A planar fracture between two rock masses.

Magnitude (Earthquake scale)

Measurement of the energy released during an earthquake, with scales from less than 2.5 to above 8.0.

Weather

Short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific area.

Climate

Long-term average of weather patterns in a region.

Latitude

Determines temperature based on the location's distance from the equator.

Altitude

Height above sea level that impacts temperature.

Greenhouse Effect

Trapping of heat in Earth's atmosphere by gases, leading to warming.

Global Warming

Long-term rise in Earth's average temperature, primarily due to human activities.

Astronomy

The study of celestial bodies and the universe.

Constellation

A grouping of stars that forms a recognizable pattern.

Brightness of Stars

Defined by luminosity and apparent magnitude.

Color of Stars

Determined by the star's surface temperature, affecting its appearance.

Size of Stars

Classified as dwarf, giant, or supergiant based on mass.

Composition of Stars

Composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, analyzed through spectral lines.