Land Form Notes
Earths Crust
Continental Drift
Pangaea is the theory that the continents were one land mass at one point in time.
Continental Drift- the theory that the continental plates drifted apart into what we know today. The continents are still in motion.
Fossils - plant or animal materials that are left in an impression of a rock or mineral. Usually prehistoric.
Continental Drift- the theory that the continental plates drifted apart into what we know today. The continents are still in motion.
Fossils - plant or animal materials that are left in an impression of a rock or mineral. Usually prehistoric.
Edges of the Earth
Learn more about plate boundaries here!
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Plate Tectonics-The theory that the Earths crust is on large plates that "float" on top of the Mantle and move slowly over time
Convergent Boundaries - Plates that come together Convergent Subduction - One plate goes under the another plate. Divergent Boundaries - Plates that move away from each other Transform Boundaries - Plates that slide next to each other Continental Crust- The crust of the earth's surface Oceanic crust - The thin crust that is under the ocean. |
Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Trenches, and Sea Floor Spreading
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Movement of the plates causes the crust to crack and move.
Movement of the plates is called an earthquake. The biggest earthquakes happen along transform boundaries. Volcanoes form at convergent plates. The oceanic plate sub-ducts or goes under the continental plate. Ocean trenches also happen at converging and sub-ducting boundaries. These areas are deep crevices beneath the ocean. The most famous trench is in the pacific Ocean, it is called the Marianas Trench. Sea floor spreading happens in the Atlantic ocean. The divergent plates allow for lava to come to the surface. The Atlantic Ocean is estimated to grow 2 inches every year! |
Rock Cycle |
Through the movement of the Earth, rocks move and change through a cycle called the rock cycle.
Thermal Energy - heat from with in the Earth. Metamorphic Rock - A rock that is changed by heat and pressure. Sediment- Solid material that is easily moved by water, wind, or animal (erosion). Sedimentary Rock - Rocks that are made from sediment that has been left to dry for years. Magma - Melted rock that is beneath the Earths crust. Igneous Rock - Rocks that are formed from cooled magma. Erosion - the gradual destruction of the landscape. |
Dichotomous Keys and Rock Classification
A dichotomous key is a tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the natural world, such as trees, wildflowers, mammals, reptiles, rocks, and fish. Keys consist of a series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item. "Dichotomous" means "divided into two parts".
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Created by Trisha Stohr-Hunt, 2013
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Aging Rocks |
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Over time rocks change. They change by different processes.
Erosion - Slow changing of the Earths surface through wind water and ice. Weathering - the process of decomposing rocks Chemical Weathering - changing of rocks because a chemicals like water, or air have been exposed to the rock. Physical Weathering - When a rock breaks apart with out being changed. For example earthquakes or water that moved the rock quickly. Deposition - when soil, sand, sediment, rock is deposited to the landscape. |
Fossils |
Fossils give scientists information about our past. Through fossil evidence, we can tell what continents were once linked, how old a rock may be, and what changes have happened to the Earth over time.
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