Earth Science: Plate Tectonics, Weathering, Volcanoes, Energy, and Weather

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to plate tectonics, weathering processes, volcanic anatomy and eruptions, energy resources, and atmospheric weather and climate.

Plate Tectonics Theory

The theory that the earth's crust is divided into plates that move due to forces within the earth.

Plate Boundaries

Locations where two tectonic plates meet.

Convergent Boundaries

Boundaries where two plates move towards each other, forming a subduction zone where one plate moves under the other.

Divergent Boundaries

Boundaries where two plates move apart from each other, resulting in sea floor spreading that produces new lithosphere.

Oceanic Ridges

Elevated areas of the sea floor along a plate boundary, such as the Mid Atlantic Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean.

Rift Valley

A lowered area of the ocean or continental crust caused by magma located close to the surface.

Continental Rift

A rift valley that occurs specifically on land.

Transform Fault Boundaries

Boundaries where two plates scrape past each other without the production or destruction of the lithosphere.

Weathering

The process that produces change in the surface of rocks exposed to the atmosphere and/or hydrosphere.

Physical Weathering

The process of breaking rock by force, such as by hitting, scratching, or cracking.

Frost Action

A physical weathering process in which water seeps into small cracks, freezes, expands under pressure, and widens the crack.

Exfoliation

A weathering process where rocks formed deep underground expand and crack when high pressure is released, or due to alternate heating and cooling.

Abrasion

A physical weathering process involving the rubbing of rocks by other rocks.

Chemical Weathering

A process in which rock material is changed into another substance through a chemical reaction.

Oxidation

A chemical weathering reaction in which oxygen in the atmosphere reacts chemically with minerals, such as in rusting.

Hydrolysis

A chemical weathering process where minerals, such as halcite and calcite, are dissolved in water.

Conduit

A volcanic structure that carries gas from the magma to the surface.

Magma Chamber

A temporary underground storage area for magma beneath a volcano.

Active Volcano

A volcano that has recently erupted.

Dormant Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted for $10{,}000\text{ yrs}$ or less.

Extinct Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted since the ice age.

Shield Volcano

A broad, gently sloping volcano built from fluid, basaltic (basalite) lava flows, such as Kilauea and Mauna Loa (Mana Lou).

Cinder Cones

Small, steep volcanoes that occur in groups, erupt only once, and are built from pyroclastic materials from a single vent.

Composite Cone (Stratovolcano)

A large, steep-sided volcano composed of both lava flows and pyroclastic materials that produces violent eruptions, such as Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier.

Viscosity

A measure of a material's resistance to flow, where high viscosity is thick and slow-moving, and low viscosity is thin and runny.

Pyroclastic Materials

Fragments ejected from volcanic eruptions, including ash, gas, and dust.

Pumice

Air-filled pyroclastic material ejected during a volcanic eruption.

Lapilli (Lupilli)

Walnut-sized pyroclastic particles ejected from a volcano.

Pahoehoe (Panahoe)

A fluid and runny lava type with low viscosity and low silica that forms braids or ropy structures.

Aa (AA)

A thick lava type characterized by high viscosity and high silica that solidifies into rough, jagged surfaces.

Caldera

A large depression in a volcano formed from the collapse of an explosive eruption.

Lava Plateau

A volcanic landform produced by lava flowing from fissures (cracks) in the crust.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can be naturally replenished over a short period of time, such as months, years, or decades.

Nonrenewable Resources

Resources that cannot be replenished once they run out, such as coal, gas, and oil.

Biofuels

Energy produced by extracting methane from manure, garbage, or plants for use in transportation fuels and electricity production.

Weather

The state of the atmosphere at any specific time or place.

Climate

A description of a place or region based on observations of weather collected over many years.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Compounds responsible for the primary destruction of the earth's ozone layer.

Atmospheric Pressure

The weight of air above created by collisions of gas molecules, directed equally in all directions.

Barometer

An instrument used to measure air pressure, categorized into mercury and aneroid types.

Isobars

Lines that connect points on a map that share the same air pressure.