Geography and Earth Science Concepts

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Geography

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The study of Earth's landscapes, peoples, places, and environments. It's concerned with both the physical properties of the Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.

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Core

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The Earth's innermost layer, primarily composed of iron and nickel. It's divided into a solid inner core and a liquid outer core.

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Mantle

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The layer of the Earth between the crust and the outer core. It's a thick, hot layer of semi-molten rock that can flow over long periods.

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Magma

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Molten rock found beneath the Earth's surface. When it erupts from a volcano or vent, it's called lava.

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Crust

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The outermost solid layer of the Earth. It's relatively thin and brittle, broken into large pieces called tectonic plates.

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Lithosphere

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The rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the upper mantle. This is the layer that makes up the tectonic plates.

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Tectonic Plate

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A large, movable segment of the Earth's lithosphere. The movement of these plates causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountains.

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Fault

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A fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. It's a key feature of plate tectonics, and movement along a fault can cause an earthquake.

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Ring of Fire

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A major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. It's a direct result of the movement and collisions of tectonic plates.

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Continental Drift

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The theory that the Earth's continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other, appearing to drift across the ocean bed. This theory was a precursor to the modern theory of plate tectonics.