Earth Science Final Exam Vocabulary

a narrow band of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere

a severe storm that develops over tropical oceans with strong winds and a low pressure center

a seasonal wind that brings heavy rains or dry weather depending on the season

a sedimentary rock layer is older than the layers above it and younger than the layers below it

the fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the surface of an object

a package of instruments that is carried up by a balloon to measure atmospheric conditions

the age of an object in relation to the ages of other objects

the weather conditions in an area over a long period of time

prevailing winds that blow from east to west from 30° latitude to equator

the mixture of gases that surround a planet, moon, or other celestial body

a destructive, rotating column of air that has very high wind speeds

the process in which sediment is squeezed and in which the size of space between is reduced

the coldest layer of the atmosphere; temp decreases as altitude increases

prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30° and 60° latitude

the lowest layer of the atmosphere; where weather exists; temp decreases as altitude increases

an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure

the volume of water that flows within a given time

describes magma or igneous rock that is rich in magnesium and iron and dark in color

the change of state from gas to liquid

a fault or body of rock is younger than any other body of rock that it cuts through

geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current processes

a large body of air throughout which temperature and moisture content are similar

prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60° and 90° latitude

the change of state from liquid to gas

the process by which a solid changes directly into a gas

a process of removing salt from ocean water

the continuous movement of water between the atmosphere, the land, and the oceans

igneous rock masses that are formed above ground

the area of land that is drained by a river system

the layer of the atmosphere that contains ozone; temp increases as altitude increases

a gas molecule that is made up of three oxygen atoms (this layer protects from sunburns)

rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies

a fossilized mark that formed in sedimentary rock by the movement of an animal

the total loss of water from an area; including evaporation and transpiration

the curving of the path of a moving object due to Earth's rotation

the process of change by which new species develop from preexisting species

any form of water that falls to Earth's surface from the clouds; rain, snow, sleet, hail

describes magma or igneous rock that is rich in feldspar and silica and that is light in color

the warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when gases absorb energy

the drier side of a mountain that exists due to the previous release of precipitation

the area close to the equator where the trade wind systems meet

most abundant element in the atmosphere

igneous rock masses that are formed underground

a heavy storm that consists of rain, strong winds, lightning, and thunder

an instrument that measures wind speed

the trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, commonly found in sedimentary rock

the materials other than the water that are carried by a stream

uppermost layer of the atmosphere; includes ionosphere; temp increases as altitude increases

an instrument that measures the amount of precipitation in a certain area

a system that uses reflected radio waves to determine velocity and location of objects

the process in which one type of rock changes into metamorphic rock

a fossil that is used to establish the age of a rock layer

the numeric age of an object or event

the series of processes in which rock forms, changes, is destroyed, and forms again

the process in which sediments are glued together by minerals in water