Helpful Definitions

Avalanche-when snow and ice move down a slope

Biodiversity- Variety of living organisms in an area

Deposition- process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to the land.

Earthquakes- process of the earth’s surface shaking as a result of the earth’s crust moving (or volcanic activity)

Erosion- process of moving soil and other substances from one place to another

Geological forces- natural forces that change the physical makeup of the earth

Glacial Till-mixture of soil, sediments, and seeds moved by a glacier

Glaciation- process of an area being covered/uncovered by a glacier

Landslide- process of a mass of earth sliding down a slope

Plate tectonics- explains the earth’s outer shell (crust) is composed of various plates that are moving over the mantle layer very slowly

Sedimentation- process of particles settling out of the liquid they are suspended in

Volcanic activity- process of magma (and gases) exiting holes in the earth’s crust; the lava then scolds the surrounding area, and hardens to form a new rocky surface.

Weathering- process of a material breaking down as a result of being exposed to the elements (wind, water, etc)