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Earth Science for Kids

Geology Glossary and Terms



Ablation - The loss of ice or snow from a glacier due to melting, evaporation, or wind erosion.

Bedrock - The solid layer of rock under the loose surface (soil, clay, gravel, sand) of the Earth.

Cave - A natural underground chamber typically located in a cliff or hillside that is large enough for a human to enter.

Delta - A flat and low landform located near the mouth of a river.

Epoch - A division of geological time.

Earthquake - A shaking of the ground caused by a sudden movement of the Earth's crust usually at a fault line.

Earth's core - The very hot center of the Earth made up of iron and nickel. The inner core is under so much pressure it is solid while the outer core is liquid metal.

Earth's crust - The outer layer of the Earth made up of rocks and minerals.

Erosion - The process by which land is worn down by water, wind, and ice.

Fault - A fracture in the Earth's crust where large areas of land slowly move past each other.

Fossil - A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a living organism from the distant past.

Glacier - A large body of ice that doesn't melt over a long period of time.

Ice age - A period of time in Earth's history when large ice sheets covered the Polar regions of the Earth.

Igneous rock - A rock formed through the cooling of magma or lava.

Lava - Lava is molten rock that was expelled to the Earth's surface by a volcano.

Magma - Molten rock under the Earth's surface. When magma is expelled to the Earth's surface it is called lava.

Mantle - The layer of the Earth between the outer crust and the core, the mantle is made up of mostly silicate rocks.

Metamorphic rock - A rock formed from great heat and pressure inside the Earth's crust.

Mineral - A mineral is a solid substance that occurs naturally. Minerals are consistent throughout and can be represented by a chemical formula.

Mountain - A geological landform that rises significantly above the surrounding land, typically at least 1,000 feet above sea level.

Ocean tide - The rising and falling of sea levels at the coastline due to the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun.

Pangea - A supercontinent that scientists believe existed around 300 million years ago. The current continents were all once part of Pangea.

Tectonic plates - Large sections of the Earth's crust that slowly move.

Relief - The elevation difference between different areas of a region.

Ridge - A long narrow section across the crest of a chain of hills or mountains.

Rift - A place where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart.

Rock - A solid made up of a number of different minerals. Rocks are generally not uniform and can't be represented by a chemical formula.

Sedimentary rock - Rocks formed from years of sediment compacting together and becoming hard.

Soil - The loose upper layer of the Earth's surface where plants grow.

Topography - A description of the physical features of an area of land.

Volcano - An opening in the Earth's crust where molten rock erupts to the surface.



Earth Science Subjects

Geology
Composition of the Earth
Rocks
Minerals
Plate Tectonics
Erosion
Fossils
Glaciers
Soil Science
Mountains
Topography
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
The Water Cycle
Geology Glossary and Terms

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Web
Carbon Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Water Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
 Atmosphere and Weather
Atmosphere
Climate
Weather
Wind
Clouds
Dangerous Weather
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather Forecasting
Seasons
Weather Glossary and Terms

World Biomes
Biomes and Ecosystems
Desert
Grasslands
Savanna
Tundra
Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Forest
Taiga Forest
Marine
Freshwater
Coral Reef
 Environmental Issues
Environment
Land Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Ozone Layer
Recycling
Global Warming

Renewable Energy Sources
Renewable Energy
Biomass Energy
Geothermal Energy
Hydropower
Solar Power
Wave and Tidal Energy
Wind Power

Other
Ocean Waves and Currents
Ocean Tides
Tsunamis
Ice Age
Forest Fires
Phases of the Moon


Science >> Earth Science for Kids


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