Unit 1 Vocab
1.Nuclear Fission - when the nuclei is split into
two smaller nuclei and emits neutrons and
heat energy.
2.) Nuclear Fusion - the way the Sun produces
energy - when nuclei COMBINE releasing
tremendous amounts of energy.
3.) Radiation - the transfer of energy (heat)
through space by electromagnetic waves.
4.) Electromagnetic Spectrum - the
arrangement of electromagnetic radiation
according to wavelenghts.
5.) X-Rays - an invisible wavelength that can be
detected through film.
6.) Cosmic Rays - immensely high energy
radiation, mainly originate outside the Solar
System.
7.) Rock Cycle - the model that illustrates the
origin of the three basic rock types and the
interrelatedness of Earth materials and
processes.
8.) Mechanical Weathering - when physical
forces break rock into smaller and smaller
pieces without changing the rocks composition.
9.) Chemical Weathering - the process where
the internal structure of a mineral/rock is altered
by the removal/addition of elements.
10.) Deposition - the process by which an agent
of erosion loses energy and drops the sediment
it is carrying.
11.) Foliation - a zone of weakness in a
sedimentary rock and more likely to flow in a
ductile flow.
12.) Ridge - Push - a mechanism that may
contribute to plate motion.
13.) Lithosphere - the rigid outer layer of Earth
including the crust and upper mantle.
14.) Plate Boundary - major interactions among
individual plates occur along their boundaries.
15.) Plate Tectonics - the theory that proposes
the Earth’s outer shell is composed of individual
plates that interact in various ways and produce
earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and the
crust itself.
16.) Geologic Time Scale - the division of
Earth’s history into time - eons, eras, periods,
and epochs.
17.) Magma - a body of molten rock found at a
depth including any dissolved gases and
crystals (in the Earth).
18.) Lava - magma that reaches Earth’s
surface.
19.) Volcanoes - a mountain formed of lava
and/or pyroclastic material.
20.) Earthquakes - the vibration of Earth
produced by the rapid release of energy.
21.) Epicenter - the location on Earth’s surface
directly above the focus, or origin, of an
earthquake.
22.) Focus - the point within Earth where an
earthquake originates.
23.) Magnitude - a measure of the size of
seismic waves or the amount of energy
released at the source of the earthquake.
24.) Faults - a fracture in Earth along which
movement has occurred.
25.) Soil - a combination of mineral and organic
matter, water, and air.
26.) Climate - the average weather conditions
of an area, and also any variations from this.
27.) Erosion - the incorporation and
transportation of material by a mobile agent,
such as water, wind, or ice.