Earth Science Vocabulary I

A physical feature on Earth’s surface

landform

A rigid block of crust and upper mantle rock

plate

A theory of how Earth’s continents move over its surface

continental drift

The dropping off of soil and rock particles by waves, wind, running water, or glaciers

deposition

A mountain formed by lava and ash

volcano

Hot, soft rock from Earth’s lower mantle

magma

A super continent containing all of Earth’s land that existed about 225 million years ago

Pangaea

A shaking of the ground caused by the sudden release of energy in Earth’s crust

earthquake

A break or place where pieces of Earth’s crust move

fault

The remains or traces of past life found in sedimentary rock

fossil

A ridge of sand created by wind, found in deserts or near lakes and oceans

sand dune

The thin, outer layer of Earth

crust

The layer of rock beneath Earth’s crust

mantle

the center of the Earth

core

A low triangular area where a river divides before entering a larger body of water

delta

The End