APES UNIT 4 FINAL

Core

The dense, hot metal layer (mostly iron) at the center of the Earth, generating the Earth’s magnetic field.

Mantle

The hot, pliable, and less dense layer surrounding the core, where convection currents occur, driving tectonic plate movement.

Crust

The cool, brittle, outermost layer of Earth that floats on the mantle.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of Earth, including the crust and upper mantle.

Tectonic Plate Movement

Driven by convection currents in the mantle.

Convergent Boundaries

Where tectonic plates collide, forming mountains, island arcs, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

Divergent Boundaries

Where tectonic plates move apart, forming rift valleys and seafloor spreading zones.

Transform Boundaries

Where tectonic plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes and creating faults.

Seafloor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust forms as magma rises at divergent boundaries.

Epicenter

The surface location directly above the point where an earthquake originates.

Igneous Rocks

Rocks formed from cooled magma or lava.

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed by compaction and cementation of sediments.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks formed by heat and pressure altering existing rocks.

Weathering

The mechanical or chemical breakdown of rocks.

Coriolis Effect

The apparent deflection of moving air and water due to Earth’s rotation, influencing large-scale wind patterns.

Jet Stream

A high-altitude, fast-moving air current in the upper troposphere influencing weather systems.

El Niño

A warming phase of the Pacific Ocean occurring every 3-7 years, disrupting global weather patterns.

La Niña

A cooling phase of the Pacific Ocean that intensifies normal circulation and its effects on global weather.

Greenhouse Effect

The trapping of heat in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases, maintaining Earth's temperature balance.

Cold Fronts

When cooler air pushes warmer air upward, potentially triggering strong storms.

Hurricanes

Storms that form over water due to warm, moist air and intense convection currents.

Tornadoes

Storm systems that form over land during conditions of warm, moist air.

How does the Jet Stream affect weather patterns?

The Jet Stream influences the movement of weather systems and can determine temperature and precipitation patterns across large areas.

What is the Coriolis Effect's influence on wind patterns?

The Coriolis Effect causes moving air to turn, influencing wind patterns and ocean currents globally.

What are typical effects of La Niña on global weather?

La Niña often leads to increased rainfall in the western Pacific, drier conditions in the southeastern U.S., and a more active hurricane season.

What are typical effects of El Niño on global weather?

El Niño usually results in warmer ocean temperatures, leading to increased rainfall in the southern U.S., drought in the western Pacific, and disruptions in global weather patterns.

How does the Greenhouse Effect impact global weather?

The Greenhouse Effect traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to changes in climate and increasing the intensity