Geology Glossary
Collision zone the boundaries where plates collide
Convection current motion of molten rock in a circular fashion; rising when hot and sinking when cool
Core innermost part of the Earth, made of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core
Crust the solid outer layer of the Earth directly above the focus of an earthquake
Deposition the process by which sediments, soil, and rocks are added to a landform or land mass
Earthquake release of built up energy in fault lines by the sudden movement of rock causes earthquakes
Epicentre the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus
Erosion process by which weathered material is carried away by water, wind or glaciers
Fault line a fracture (break) in the Earth's crust
Focus the place where an earthquake starts
Fold mountain mountain uplifted by folding of sedimentary rocks when tectonic plates collide
Igneous rocks formed by the cooling and hardening of magma or lava
Intensity the amount of damage caused by an earthquake
Lava hot molten material which flows onto the surface (usually from volcanoes) and cools to form volcanic rock
L-waves seismic waves which occur only on the Earth's surface; they are the slowest and often cause most damage
Magma molten rock within the Earth
Magnitude measure of the energy released by an earthquake
Mantle thick partly solid and partly molten layer of rock below the Earth's crust
Metamorphic rocks that been changed in structure and appearance by heat and pressure
Modified Mercalli scale (MM) scale of earthquake intensity
Plate tectonics the movement of the Earth's crust
P-wave seismic compression waves which are the fastest
Richter scale 1 to 10 scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake
Sedimentary rocks formed by the cementing together and hardening of sediments
Seismic waves waves which travel out from the focus of an earthquake
Spreading zone plates moving apart
Subduction occurs when one tectonic plate moves under another
S-wave seismic waves which occur up and down and travel at medium speed
Trench along, steep-sided valley on the ocean floor
Uplift upward movement of the Earth's crust
Vent hole in the Earth's crust where an eruption may occur
Volcanic from a volcano
Volcano a hole or vent in the Earth's crust where molten rock, gases and ash are erupted
Weathering slow physical and chemical breakdown of rocks by the action of rain, temperature changes and wind
Convection current motion of molten rock in a circular fashion; rising when hot and sinking when cool
Core innermost part of the Earth, made of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core
Crust the solid outer layer of the Earth directly above the focus of an earthquake
Deposition the process by which sediments, soil, and rocks are added to a landform or land mass
Earthquake release of built up energy in fault lines by the sudden movement of rock causes earthquakes
Epicentre the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus
Erosion process by which weathered material is carried away by water, wind or glaciers
Fault line a fracture (break) in the Earth's crust
Focus the place where an earthquake starts
Fold mountain mountain uplifted by folding of sedimentary rocks when tectonic plates collide
Igneous rocks formed by the cooling and hardening of magma or lava
Intensity the amount of damage caused by an earthquake
Lava hot molten material which flows onto the surface (usually from volcanoes) and cools to form volcanic rock
L-waves seismic waves which occur only on the Earth's surface; they are the slowest and often cause most damage
Magma molten rock within the Earth
Magnitude measure of the energy released by an earthquake
Mantle thick partly solid and partly molten layer of rock below the Earth's crust
Metamorphic rocks that been changed in structure and appearance by heat and pressure
Modified Mercalli scale (MM) scale of earthquake intensity
Plate tectonics the movement of the Earth's crust
P-wave seismic compression waves which are the fastest
Richter scale 1 to 10 scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake
Sedimentary rocks formed by the cementing together and hardening of sediments
Seismic waves waves which travel out from the focus of an earthquake
Spreading zone plates moving apart
Subduction occurs when one tectonic plate moves under another
S-wave seismic waves which occur up and down and travel at medium speed
Trench along, steep-sided valley on the ocean floor
Uplift upward movement of the Earth's crust
Vent hole in the Earth's crust where an eruption may occur
Volcanic from a volcano
Volcano a hole or vent in the Earth's crust where molten rock, gases and ash are erupted
Weathering slow physical and chemical breakdown of rocks by the action of rain, temperature changes and wind