Earth Science Final Exam Study Guide – Flashcards
145 test answers
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a change in Earth's magnetic field
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magnetic reversal
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a line on a map that connects points that have the same age
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isochron
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a theory that states the new ocean crust is formed at ocean ridges and destroyed at deep-sea trenches
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seafloor spreading
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a theory that states the Earth's crust is broken in to enormous slabs called plates
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plate tectonics
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places where two tectonic plates are moving apart
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divergent boundaries
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when continental crust begins to separate that stretched crust forms a long narrow depression
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rift valley
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place where two plates slide horizontally past each other
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transform boundary
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places where two tectonic plates are moving toward each other
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convergent boundaries
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the process of one plate descending beneath another
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subduction
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the weight of the uplifted ridge pushes an oceanic plate toward a trench
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ridge push
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the weight of the subducting plate helps pull the trailing plate into the subduction zone
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slab pull
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Proposed the theory of continental drift
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Wegener
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scientists thought the seafloor was this?
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flat
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new crust is formed at where?
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mid-ocean ridges
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sediments on the ocean floor are deeper where?
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near deep-sea trenches
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discovery that led scientists to eventually accept the theory of continental drift
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seafloor spreading
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internal resistance to flow
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viscosity
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intrusive igneous rock bodies caused by magma
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plutons
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when magma reaches Earth's surface
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lava
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an opening in the Earth's crust through which magma reaches the surface
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vent
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a bowl shaped depression at the top of a volcano
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crater
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a depression greater than 1 km in diameter at the top of a volcano
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caldera
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type of mountain with broad, gently sloping sides and a nearly circular base
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shield
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a type of volcano that forms when material is ejected high into the air and falls back and piles up around the opening
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cinder-cone
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a type of volcano that forms when layers of volcanic fragments alternate with lava
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composite
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rock fragments thrown into the air during a volcanic eruption
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tephra
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flow that refers to rapidly moving volcanic material sent down a slope during an eruption
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Pyroclastic
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unusually hot regions of Earth's crust where high temperature plumes of mantle material ruse toward the surface
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Hot spots
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A wet mineral or rock will melt at a ________ temperature?
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lower
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Magma with ________ viscosity is more explosive.
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high
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increasing silica content has what effect on the viscosity of magma?
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increases
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large plutons common in the interior mountain chains
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batholiths
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smaller, similar to batholiths
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stocks
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mushroom shaped with round top and flat bottom
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laccolith
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cuts across preexisting rocks
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dikes
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magma that intrudes parallel to rock layers
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sills
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the force per unit area acting on a material
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stress
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the deformation of materials in response to forces acting on them
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strain
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the point where an earthquake originates
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focus
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the point on Earth's surface directly above where an earthquake originates
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epicenter
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a device that detects and records the vibrations caused by an earthquake
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seismometer
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a measure of the amount of energy released during an earthquake
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magnitude
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the scale that is based the size of the largest seismic waves produced by an earthquake
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Richter
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a large ocean wave generated by vertical motion of the seafloor during an earthquake
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tsunami
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sections of active faults that have not experienced significant earthquakes for a long period of time
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seismic gaps
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fractures in Earth's crust along which movement occurs
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faults
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how much damage the earthquake caused
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intensity
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the process by which rocks on or near Earth's surface break down and change
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weathering
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the removal and transport or weathered material from one location to another
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erosion
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the process by which rocks and minerals break down into smaller pieces
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mechanical weathering
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the repeated thawing and freezing of water in the cracks of rocks
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frost wedging
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process by which outer rock layers are stripped away
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exfoliation
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the process by which rocks and minerals undergo changes in their composition as the result of chemical reactions
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chemical weathering
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the reaction of water with other substances
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hydrolysis
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the chemical reactions of oxygen with other substances
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oxidation
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the final stage of the erosional process
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deposition
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the erosion by running water in small channels, on the side of a slope
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rill erosion
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when a channel becomes deep and wide
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gully erosion
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the loose convering of broken rock particles and decaying organic mater overlying the bedrock of Earth's surface
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soil
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soil located above parent material
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residual soil
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soil that has been moved to a new location away from its parent bedrock
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transported soil
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a distinct layer within a soil profile
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soil horizon
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the vertical sequence of soil layers
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soil profile
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the downslope movement of loose sediments and weathered rook resulting from the force of gravity
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mass movement
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the slow, steady, downhill flow of loose weathered Earth materials
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creep
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swiftly moving mixtures of mud and water
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mudflows
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a rapid, down slope movement of Earth materials that occur when a relatively thin block of loose soil, rock, and debris separates from underlying bedrock
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landslide
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when the mass of material in a landslide rotates and slides along a curved surface
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slump
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landslides that occur in mountainous areas with thick accumulations of snow
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avalanches
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the lowering of the land surface that results from the wind's removal of surface particles
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deflation
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occurs when particles such as sand rub against the surface of rocks or other materials
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abrasion
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rocks shaped by wind-blown sediments
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ventifacts
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pile of wind-blown sand that develops over time
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dune
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thick, wind-blown silt deposits
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loess
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a large, moving mass of ice
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glaciers
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glaciers that form in valleys in high, mountainous areas
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valley glaciers
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glaciers that cover broad, continent-sized areas
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continental glaciers
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deep depressions
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cirques
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ridges consisting of till deposited by glaciers
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moraines
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the area at the leading edge of the glacier, where the meltwater streams flow and deposit outwash
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outwash plain
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glaciers that move over older moraines from the material into elongated landforms
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drumlins
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long, winding ridges of layered sediments that are deposited by steams flowing under a melting glacier
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eskers
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a land area that is covered with water for a large part of the year
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wetland
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process by which lakes become rich in nutrients form the surrounding watershed
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eutrophication
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a depression in the landscape that collects and holds water
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lake
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when a stream actively resumes the process of downcutting toward its base level
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rejuvenation
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a bend or curve in a stream channel caused by moving water
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meander
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the ground bordering the stream on each side
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stream bank
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the triangular deposit that forms when a stream enters a large body of water
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delta
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the narrow pathway cut into the sediment or rock by moving water
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stream channel
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the broad flat area that extends out from the stream bank and is covered by excess water during times of flooding
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floodplain
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occurs when water spills out over the sides of a stream's bans onto the adjacent land
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flood
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consists of the sand, pebbles, and cobbles that are pushed or rolled along the bed of a stream
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bed load
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particles held up by the turbulence of a stream's moving water
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suspension
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a high land area that separates one watershed from another
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divide
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all the land area whose water drains into a stream system
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watershed
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water flowing downslope along Earth's surface
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runoff
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all the water on Earth's surface
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hydrosphere
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the process by which water enters the ground
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infiltration
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the percentage of pore space in a material
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porosity
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the upper boundary of the zone of saturation
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water table
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the ability of a material to let water pass through
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permeability
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permeable layers through which groundwater flows
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aquifers
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a natural underground opening with a connection to Earth's surface
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cave
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a depression in the ground caused by the collapse pf a cave or by the dissolution of bedrock
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sinkhole
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dripstone deposits on the floor of caves
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stalagmites
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natural discharges of groundwater
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springs
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explosive hot springs
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geysers
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the difference between the original water table and the water level in a pumped well
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drawdown
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water from precipitation and runoff is added back into the zone of saturation
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recharge
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springs with a temperature that is higher than that of the human body
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hot springs
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impermeable layers that are barriers to groundwater flow
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acquicludes
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a sloping band of sand, pebbles, gravel or mud at the edge of the sea
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beach
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the submerged parts of the continents
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margin
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rapid flowing water currents along the bottom of the sea that carry heavy sediment loads
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turbidity currents
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a deposit at the base of the continental slope is called a continental ________.
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rise
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the smooth parts of the ocean floor
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abyssal plain
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submerged basaltic volcanoes more than 1km high
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seamounts
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scientific study of oceans
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oceanography
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the level of the oceans' surface
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sea level
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a measure of the amount of dissolved salt in seawater
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salinity
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the layer of the ocean characterized by rapidly decreasing temperature with depth
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thermocline
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the highest point of a wave
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crest
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a rhythmic movement that carries energy through space or matter
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wave
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the periodic rise and fall of sea levels
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tides
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collapsing waves
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breakers
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the lowest point of a wave
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trough
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currents cause by differences in the temperatures and salinity of ocean currents
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density currents
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the upward movement of the ocean water
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upwelling
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the area where the lower end of a freshwater river or stream enters the ocean
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estuary
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the shallowest part of the continental margin extending seaward is the continental _______.
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shelf
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What percentage of Earth's surface is below sea level?
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70%
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What marks the true edge of a continent?
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continental slope
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What do the sediments of the abyssal plain mostly consist of?
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mud
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abyssal plains
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Which represents the flattest part of Earth's surface?
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35 ppt
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What is the average salinity of seawater?
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cold with high salinity
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Which type of seawater has the greatest density?
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3800m
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What is the average depth of the oceans?
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water vapor and carbon dioxide
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Which are the most common gases emitted by volcanoes?
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sonar
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Which of the following is used to measure ocean depth?
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spring tides
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What type of high tides occurs during a full moon?
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