Earth Science Vocabulary

A deposit of material left on the ground by a glacier

A depositing of land at the mouth of rivers 

Deep valley with steep sides often made by rushing rivers; but not ALL are made by rivers

Wall built to prevent overflowing or flooding of a river, used to channel water back into river

A hill of sand, made and shaped by wind

Method in which farmers plow across the side of hill (in curves) instead of down

Two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other

The planting of crops on terraces (steps) built into steep hillsides

A man-made wall that sticks out into the ocean to stop erosion

Formed when tectonic plates that make up Earth’s crust push upward, fold, or crack.

Long, narrow sand island parallel to the mainland that protects the coast from erosion

Molten rock that comes out of volcanoes during an eruption

Person who discovered the theory of continental drift.

Sand from ocean or nearby rivers are pumped ontothe beach to prevent beach erosion

An lowland between ranges of mountains, hills, or other uplands.

The breaking down of rock

An area of sand or pebbles along a shore

Mountains of lava and ash

Tectonic plates slide pass each other 

Movement of rock from one place to another

Caused by movements in Earth’s crust that releases energy and shakes the ground

A process of dumping sediment, dirt, rocks, or particles in a place.

Tectonic plates move toward one another and collide

A natural land shape or feature

A structure causing erosion of beaches built across a river to control its flow