miércoles, 13 de abril de 2011

Clues to Earth Past

1. Fossil:
Are the remains, imprints, or traces of prehistric organisms.
2. Permineralized remains:
Are fossils in which the spaces inside are filled with minerals from groundwater.

3. Carbon film:
When a thin film of carbon residue is left, forming silhouette of the original organism.

4. Mold:
A type of fossil that forms in rock when a organism with hard part, decays or dissolves, and leaves, and leaves a cavity in rock.

5. Cast:
A type of body fossil that forms when crystals fill a mold or semiments wash into a mold and harden into rock.

6. Index Fossils:
Are the remains of species that exist on Earth to relatively short periods of time, were abundant, and were widespread geographically.

7. Principle of Superposition:
States that in undisturbed rocks layers, the oldest rocks are on the bottom and the rocks become progressively younger toward the top.



8. Relative Age:
It is age in comparison to other things.

9. Unconformity:
Gaps in rock.
10. Absolute Age:
Is the age, in years, of a rock or other object.

11. Radioactive Decay:
Process in which some isotopes break down into other isotopes and particles.
12. Half-life:
Is the time it takes for half of the atoms in the isotopes to decay.

13. Radiometric Dating:
Process used to calculate the absolute age of rock by measuring the ratio of parent isotope to daughter product in a mineral and knowing the half-life of the parent.
14. Uniformitarianism:
Principle stating that Earth processs ocurring today are similar to those that ocurred in the past.

miércoles, 6 de abril de 2011

Water Erosion and Deposition



1. Runoff:
Water that doesn't soak into de ground or evaporates but instead flows acrossEarth's surface.

2. Channel:
 Water moving down on the same path and creates grooves.

3. Sheet Erosion:
Occurs when water that is flowing as sheets picks up and carries away sediments.
4. Drainage Basin:
 Is the area of land from which streams or rivers collectas runoff.
5. Meander:
Broad, c-shaped curve in a river or stream, formed by erosion of its outer bank.



6. Groundwater:
 Water that soaks into the ground collects into the ground collects in these pores and empty spaces and becomes part it.

8.  Permeable:
When pores spaces are connected and water can pass through them.



7. Impermeable:
 Materials that water that can't pass through.
9. Aquifer:
A layer of permeable rock that lets water move freely.

10. Water Table:
 Upper surface of the zone of saturation.
11. Spring:
When water table is so close  to Earth's surface and water flows out and forms it.

12. Geyser:
 Is a hot spring that erupts periodically, shooting water and steam into the air.
13. Cave:
The cracks in the limestone enlarge and forms an underground opening.




14. Longshore Current:
Current that runs parallel to the shoreline.
15. Beach:
Are deposits of sediment that are parallel to the shore.