continental shelf
a fringe of shallow seafloor surrounding the land
metamorphism
changing a rock by heat, pressure, or deformation
weathering
breaking down of rocks either mechanically or chemically
transportation
moving pieces of rock by wind, ice or water
deposition
occurs when the energy of the transported materials decreases
uplift
upward movement of underground rocks to the surface
lithification
process of sediment being compacted over time and eventually turning into rock
Understanding geology is important to everyday life because _________
we rely on it to locate raw materials for industry, we rely on it for energy resources, and it helps us make decisions regarding the environment
Radioactive decay in Earth, especially in Earth's crust, creates a tremendous amount of ______.
heat
The three factors that directly shape the surface of the Earth are:
water and its movement, impact of diverse life-forms, atmosphere and its movement
If rock is exposed to enough heat after metamorphism it will eventually ______ into magma.
melt
lithosphere
the rigid portion of Earth composed of the crust and uppermost part of the mantle
infrared energy
The greenhouse effect is the result of _______ that becomes trapped by Earth's atmosphere, causing Earth to be much warmer that it otherwise would be.
Metamorphism involves which three processes?
heat, pressure, deformation
core
located in the central zone of Earth beneath the mantle
flowing water
the most important agent for sculpting the landscape
Earth
the moon is the closest object to which planet?
glaciers
variety of sediment from large, angular boulders to fine rock powder are types of sediment found in _______
steep mountain fronts
large, angular rocks are types of sediment found in ________
river channels
sand, pebbles and cobbles are types of sediment found in ________
beaches
sand, broken shells, and rounded, well-worn stones as a result of wave action are types of sediment found in _________
magma
melting of rocks at great depth produces______
metamorphic
rock type is formed when heat and pressure are applied to a preexisting metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary rock, without causing melting.
magma
molten rock underground, usually rich in silica and containing dissolved gases
sediments
loose materials of all sizes that are formed when rocks are broken down and worn away
thinner
with respect to thickness, the oceanic crust is _________ than the continental crust
melting
rock cycle process that usually occurs at great depth, in the lower crust or the mantle
cooler
28,000 years ago, Earth was _________ than it is today, and continental ice sheets covered large areas of land as a result
igneous rock
rock that has formed from cooling magma or lava
atmosphere
mixture of gases that extends out about 100 km from Earth
biosphere
includes all life and all the places life can be found on Earth
hydrosphere
includes all of the water in all of its expressions on Earth
lithosphere
the solid upper portion of Earth
rock cycle
the process in which a rock may move from one place to another or be converted into a new rock type
lava
molten rock on Earth's surface
3
Earth has ___ major concentric zones of material
snow, ice
Glaciers are huge flowing fields of ____ and ____ that carry large amounts of rock and sediment
wind, ice
Besides liquid water, the other two transportation agents of sediments are ____ and ____. Gravity also plays a role in moving sediments.
mantle
The asthenosphere is part of Earth's _______
sand dunes
mostly sand shifted by wind action
seafloor
mud and the remains of sea creatures
continental, oceanic
Two main types of crust on Earth
nuclear fission
On the Sun, hydrogen atoms are joined together in a process called _______ ________
solid
the physical state of Earth's inner core
liquid
the physical state of Earth's outer core
hydrothermal
types of rock formed directly by precipitates from hot water. Some geologists consider these to be a type of metamorphic rock.
transport
The three agents of sediment _________, which result in deposition as energy decreases, are ice, wind, and water.
different rock types, different rock thickness
the primary differences between continents and ocean basins
isostasy
the balance or equilibrium of adjacent blocks of brittle lithosphere floating on the ductile asthenosphere
density of rock, temperature of the lithosphere
two factors that affect regional elevations
water, ice, wind
the three primary forces that act to deposit sediments, which may eventually become sedimentary rocks
continental crust
granite is the representative composition of which layer of Earth
oceanic crust
basalt is the representative composition of which layer of Earth
mantle
olivine is the representative composition of which layer of Earth
core
iron and nickel are the representative compositions of which layer of Earth
isostasy
the condition of equilibrium or balance in a system
asthenosphere
located beneath the lithosphere
heat
the decay of radioactive elements such as uranium creates ________, especially in Earth's crust, where these elements are abundant
density
differences in _________ allow rocks to move from deep within Earth toward the surface
mineral
the age of the rock and how the rock formed are the two geologic factors that affect where _________ resources, such as copper and iron, are located
faults in Earth's crust that can potentially cause earthquakes, the steepness of hillsides, and the strength of underlying geology
are geologic considerations when identifying physically safe places for human habitation
hydrologic cycle
the flow of water from land and oceans to the atmosphere is part of the ________ _______.
asteroids
rocky fragments left over from the formation of the solar system. found in orbit between Mars and Jupiter
the fate of solar energy entering Earth's atmosphere
solar energy evaporates water in the atmosphere, it heats the Earth's atmosphere, some light is converted into chemical energy by plants and some light is converted into infrared radiation
mantle
largest of Earth's concentric zones by volume
landslides, floods
examples of natural hazards present in the Rapid City area as a result of its location in a low area along Rapid Creek
wind, gravity, rivers
three primary delivery systems that transport sediments from land into oceans
the hot material slowly moves up toward the surface
what happens to material that is hotter than its surrounding material deep within the Earth?
water
the snow covering the mountain in the distance is an important source of _______ for the grazing horses and cows in the grassy pasture below
concept sketch
a graphical way of using your own words to describe information about features, processes, and relationships to help you learn, retain, and apply new information
massive thunderstorm, flash flood, breach of a dam, houses built on the floodplain
events and causes of the 1972 Rapid City, South Dakota, flood that killed hundreds of people and destroyed more than 1,300 homes
solidification and crystallization
two processes that magma might undergo as it cools
rock may be involved in a variety of processes in different sequences
why a rock might not go through the complete rock cycle
the continental crust underneath will be uplifted
what happens to a mountain range in terms of isostatic adjustment following a period of significant erosion?
wind
the uppermost part of the oceans are in constant motion primarily due to the effects of _______
solidification of a magma chamber
Devil's Tower was formed by ______
nitrogen
Earth's atmosphere is composed primarily of ________
granite
the presidents' faces at Mount Rushmore are carved from which type of rock?
outer
the surface of the _______ planets consists mostly of hydrogen gas
butte
a smaller, steep-sided mountain that has had its edges eroded away