Crust: the uppermost thin layer of the Earth.Inner core: the solid innermost layer of the Earth.Mantle: the soft (but not liquid) layer of rock between the crust and the outer core of the Earth.Outer core: the layer of liquid rock between the mantle and the inner core of the Earth.Tectonic plates: enormous plates of rock, the size of continents, that make up the Earth's crust and are very slowly moving.
Crystal: solid that has a variety of special shapes.Extrusive igneous rocks: igneous rocks that form on the surface of the Earth.Geology: the study of rocks, their history and the processes that form and change them.Igneous rocks: rocks formed from cooling magma.Interlocking crystals: crystals that lock together and grow into each other in a rock.Intrusive igneous rocks: igneous rocks that form below the surface of the earth.Lava: molten rock reaching the Earth's surface.Magma: molen rock that does not reach the earth's surface.Mantle: layer of the earth below the crust.Minerals: chemical substances found in rocks.
Acid rain: rain water that includes acids from pollution in the air.Agents of erosion: factors that cause erosion-wind, water, iceChemical weathering: water or chemicals in the water and air reacting and breaking down rock.Consistency: the tendency of soil particles to stick together.Erosion: removal of weathered rock particles away from the site of the weathering.Permeability: a measure of how fast water enters soil.Physical weathering: breakdown of rocks by physical processes.Pore spaces: the amount of space in the soil that could be filled with air or water.Sedimentation: the process of water or wind depositing eroded rock particles.Structure: how well the soil particles join up to form lumps.Texture: the size of the particles that make up soil.Water-holding capacity: measure of how much water a particular amount of soil can hold.Weathering: the physical and chemical processes that break rocks down into smaller pieces.
