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All terms in this list:

mineral: Any naturally occurring inorganic material that has a (more or less) definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties.

elements: Plural form of element.

atoms: Plural form of atom.

compound: composed of elements; not simple

crystal: A solid (mineral quartz or otherwise) composed of an array of atoms possessing long-range order and arranged in a pattern which is periodic in three dimensions.

matter: The basic structural component of the universe. Matter usually has mass and volume.

streak: Rubbing the material against a white line called a streak-plate. Not always the same color of the mineral

luster: Shine, polish or sparkle.

cleavage: The tendency of a crystal to split along specific planes. [from 19th c.]

weathering: mechanical or chemical erosion of rocks due to weather.

erosion: The result of having been being worn away or eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face

deposition: The act of depositing material, especially by a natural process; the resultant deposit.

igneous rock: one of the major groups of rock that makes up the crust of the Earth; formed by the cooling of molten rock, either below the surface (intrusive) or on the surface (extrusive)

metamorphic rock: one of the major groups of rock that makes up the crust of the Earth; consists of pre-existing rock mass in which new minerals or textures are formed at higher temperatures and greater pressures than those present on the Earth's surface

sedimentary rock: one of the major groups of rock that makes up the crust of the Earth; formed by the deposition of either the weathered remains of other rocks, the results of biological activity, or precipitation from solution

rock cycle: The series of processes in which rock changes from one type to another is called the rock cycle

uplift: To raise something or someone to a higher physical, social, moral, intellectual, spiritual or emotional level.

subsidence: A sinking of something to a lower level, especially of part of the surface of the Earth due to underground excavation or seismic activity

rift zone: Is a set of deep cracks the forms between two tectonic plates that are pulling apart.

floodplain: An alluvial plain that experiences occasional or periodic flooding.

delta: A landform at the mouth of a river where it empties into a body of water.

alluvial fan: A cone-shaped heap of alluvium deposited by a river.

groundwater: Water that exists beneath the earth's surface in underground streams and aquifers.

sinkhole: A hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage

karst topography: Is a type of irregular landscape that forms a limestone or other soluble rock and is characterized by caverns, sinkholes, and streams that disappear underground.

glacier: A large body of ice which flows under its own mass, usually downhill. A huge piece of ice.

glacial drift: An accumulation of earth and rock which have been transported by moving ice, land ice, or icebergs.

soil: The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.

humus: A large group of natural organic compounds, found in the soil, formed from the chemical and biological decomposition of plant and animal residues and from the synthetic activity of microorganisms

soil profile: A vertical section of soil layers from the developed lower layers.

soil horizon: Each later of soil within a soil profile.

crust: A more solid, dense or hard layer on a surface or boundary.

mantle: anything that covers or conceals something else

convection: The transmission of heat in a fluid or gas by the circulation of currents.

lithosphere: The rigid, mechanically strong, outer layer of the Earth; divided into twelve major plates

asthenosphere: the zone of the Earth's upper mantle, below the lithosphere

mesosphere: layer of the Earth's atmosphere that is directly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere

pangea: Continents joined in a single land.

sea-floor spreading: Molten rock from inside Earth rises through the cracks in the ridges and forms a new oceanic crust.

plate tectonics: The large-scale movement of tectonic plates that contributes to continental drift.

tectonic plates: Plural form of tectonic plate. More than one.

convergent boundaries: From where two plates collide

divergent boundary: Two plates move away from each other.

transform boundary: A boundary at which two plates move past each other horizontally.

deformation: The act of deforming, or state of being deformed.

folding: The action of folding; a fold.

fault: A defect; something that detracts from perfection.

shear stress: the component of stress that causes parallel layers of a material to move relative to each other in their own planes.

tension: Condition of being held in a state between two or more forces, which are acting in opposition to each other

compression: to increase in density; the act of compressing, or the state of being compressed; compaction

earthquake: A shaking of the Earth, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults.

focus: a point at which reflected or refracted rays of light converge.

epicenter: Alternative spelling of epicentre.

elastic rebound: The return of rock to its original shape after elastic deformation.

volcano: A vent or fissure on the surface of a planet (usually in a mountainous form) with a magma chamber attached to the mantle of a planet or moon, periodically erupting forth lava and volcanic gases onto the surface.

magma: The molten matter within the earth, the source of the material of lava flows, dikes of eruptive rocks, etc.

lava: The melted rock ejected by a volcano from its crater or fissured sides.

vent: An opening through which gases, especially air, can pass.

hot spot: the surface manifestation of a plume that rises from deep in the Earth’s mantle

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