Earth's Surface Forces

Front

Gravity Noun

---

[grav-i-tee]

Back

Gravity

---

A fundamental force of attraction that pulls matter together, driving large-scale geologic processes like precipitation and landslides.

---

Example: This diagram shows that gravity is a force that pulls everything towards the center of the Earth, represented by the yellow arrows pointing inward.

Front

Plate Tectonics Noun

---

[playt tek-ton-iks]

Back

Plate Tectonics

---

The theory describing the large-scale motion of Earth's lithosphere, which drives the creation of continents and mountain ranges.

---

Example: This map shows the supercontinent Pangaea, demonstrating how Earth's continents were once joined before being moved apart by the forces of plate tectonics.

Front

Chemical Weathering Noun

---

[kem-i-kuhl weth-er-ing]

Back

Chemical Weathering

---

The decomposition of rocks and minerals through chemical reactions, often involving water, which alters their original composition.

---

Example: This image shows four types of chemical weathering: reactions with water (caves), oxygen (rust), acid (pits), and organisms (lichen on rocks).

Front

Geosphere Noun

---

[jee-o-sfeer]

Back

Geosphere

---

The solid part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, including all rocks, minerals, and landforms.

---

Example: This diagram shows the geosphere as the solid part of Earth, illustrating its main layers from the crust on the surface to the inner core.

Front

Hydrosphere Noun

---

[hy-dro-sfeer]

Back

Hydrosphere

---

The total amount of water on a planet, including surface water, groundwater, and ice, which exchanges matter and energy.

---

Example: This diagram shows the hydrosphere as all the water on Earth's surface, like the lake shown, in relation to the other major Earth systems.

Front

Biosphere Noun

---

[by-o-sfeer]

Back

Biosphere

---

The global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with other Earth systems.

---

Example: This diagram shows the biosphere is the zone of life on Earth, including parts of the land (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), and air (atmosphere).

Front

Rock Cycle Noun

---

[rok sy-kuhl]

Back

Rock Cycle

---

A continuous geologic process where rocks are created, changed from one form to another, destroyed, and then formed again.

---

Example: This diagram shows how rocks change from one type to another through processes like melting, cooling, weathering, and pressure, illustrating the complete rock cycle.

Front

Igneous Rock Noun

---

[ig-nee-uhs rok]

Back

Igneous Rock

---

A type of rock formed through the cooling and solidification of molten rock material, such as magma or lava.

---

Example: This diagram shows the rock cycle, where magma cools and solidifies to form igneous rock, which is one of the three main rock types.

Front

Magma Noun

---

[mag-muh]

Back

Magma

---

Molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed, found beneath the Earth's surface.

---

Example: This diagram shows magma, which is molten rock beneath the Earth's surface, rising up between two separating oceanic crust plates at a divergent boundary.

Front

Metamorphic Rock Noun

---

[met-uh-mawr-fik rok]

Back

Metamorphic Rock

---

A rock type created from the transformation of existing rock through heat, pressure, or other chemical processes.

---

Example: This image shows how a parent rock (shale) changes into different metamorphic rocks (slate, phyllite, schist, gneiss) with increasing heat and pressure.