planet earth

• minerals 


  a pure substance that is either an element or compound (two or more elements) that has its molecules arranged in a specific way (crystalline)
• 6 main crystal types

  • cubic
  • tetragonal
  • hexagonal
  • orthohombic
  • monoclinic
  • triclinic
• what do we use to identify mineral hardness

  mohs hardness scale
• what is lustre


  the shininess of the surface
• what is streak 


  the colour of the line when you scratch the surface
• what is cleavage


  when the surface breaks along smooth flat surfaces or planes
• what is fracture


  the surface breaking with rough or jagged edges
• mechanical weathering + examples

  rocks breaking down by physical reasons

  ex. rock falls off cliff

  rocks bump into something then become smooth and round\
• chemical weathering + examples


  breaking rocks through chemical reasons

  ex. acid rain dissolves statues
• biological weathering + examples


  organisms breaking down rocks either chemicals or physically

  ex. plants roots break rock
• what is erosion


  moving of sediments from their original position
• what is deposition


  the settling of sediments caused by gravity
• types of rocks

  1. igneous
  2. sedimentary
  3. metamorphic
• magma


  molten rock found below the earths crust
• intrusive rock


  rock underneath the earth's surface that's already cooled and hardened
• lava


  magma above the earths surface
• igneous rock


  cooling of magma, size depends on how it cools
• sedimentary rock


  the deposition of sediments in layers over time
• metamorphic rock


  existing rock that takes deep underground
• soil profile


  can take thousands of years to form, layers of soil make up a soil profile
• 4 layers of the earth

  1. crust
  2. mantle
  3. outer core
  4. inner core
• 3 types of earthquake waves 


  p waves, s waves, and surface waves
• p waves


  travel the fastest of all and can pass through soilds, lquids, and gases. can pass through the core of the earth to the other side of the planet. the slight vibrations that warn people
• s waves


  travel about 1.7x slower than a P wace and pass only through soilds. they CANNOT pass through lquids
• surface waves


  slowest wave type that can break up roads and buildings. MOST DESTRUCTIVE
• how do we measure earthquakes and how?

  seismographs that measure the magnitude
• what measurement scale do we use to measure earthquakes and how

  the Richter Scale to describe the magnitude
• 3 factors required for liquefaction

  1. loose, granular sediment
  2. water, saturated sediment
  3. strong shaking
• tsunamis


  earthquakes under the sea
• strike slip or transform fault


  shear/tearing that causes slipping, surface gets caught and rock is twisted
• reverse fault


  rock breaks and moves it up and over the crack or fault
• normal fault


  stress on rock causing it to bend and then break
• what is the ring of fire


  volcanoes around the pacific ocean that form this ring
• types of volcanoes


  shield, cinder cone, composite
• faulting


  The breaking of sedimentary rock as parts are pushed up over other rock.
• folding


  The bending, but not breaking of sedimentary rock as the crust is compressed and forced upwards
• syncline


  the downward or bottom part of the fold on a mountain
• anticline


  the upward or top part of the fold on a mountain
• young mountain ranges

  • jagged and rough
  • have not been polished smooth by weathering
• old mountain ranges

  • smooth and rounded peaks
  • grow smaller every year due to weathering and erosion