APES - key term 11/05

Albedo

Ability of a surface to reflect light

Asthenosphere

The soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move (upper mantle)

Chemical weathering

breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both

Convergent boundary

an area where plates move toward one another and collide

Coriolis effect

The effect of Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents.

Divergent boundary

an area beneath the ocean where tectonic plates move away from each other

Earthquake

sudden movement of Earth's crust caused by release of potential energy along a geologix fault and usually causing a vibration or trembling at earth's surface

El Niño

a reversal of wind and water currents in south pacific

Erosion

the physical removal of rock fragments from a landscape or ecosystem

Insolation

INcoming SOLAr radiaTION; earth's main source of energy, dependent on season and latitude

La Niña

the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.

Layers of the atmosphere

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Particle size

the smaller the particle the faster the chemical reaction

Physical weathering

the mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals

permeability

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

Porosity

the volume of open spaces in rock or soil

Rain shadow

a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side

Soil horizons

Layers of soil

Transform boundary

area where tectonic plates move sideways past each other

Tsunami

A giant wave usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean floor.

Volcano

a vent in tbe surface of earth that emits ash, gases, or molten lava

Watershed

all land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland

Biological weathering

the process by which living organisms break down rocks