Earth Systems

1. What are Earth's four major systems?

Geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere

2. What is Earth's outermost solid layer called?

The crust

crust

3. What drives the movement of tectonic plates?

Heat-driven motion in Earth's mantle plus gravity-related forces

4. What happens at a divergent plate boundary?

Plates move apart

5. What happens at a convergent plate boundary?

Plates move toward each other

6. What happens at a transform plate boundary?

Plates slide horizontally past each other

7. What is weathering?

Breakdown of rock at or near Earth's surface

8. What is erosion?

Movement of weathered material

9. How does igneous rock form?

Magma or lava cools and solidifies

10. How does sedimentary rock usually form?

Sediments are compacted and cemented

11. How does metamorphic rock form?

Existing rock changes under heat, pressure, or reactive fluids without melting

12. What is evaporation?

Liquid water changes to water vapor

13. What is condensation?

Water vapor changes to liquid water

14. What is precipitation?

Water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

15. What is groundwater?

Water stored and moving below Earth's surface