22 Terms
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Geology
The science that comprises the study of the solid Earth and the processes by which it is shaped and changed.
Industry: Earth science
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Geology
Convergence
Earth science; Geology
The coming together of two lithospheric plates. Convergence causes subduction when one or both plates is oceanic, and mountain formation when both plates are continental.
Altimeter
Earth science; Geology
An instrument that indicates the altitude (1) of an object with respect to a reference level such as sea level; examples include pressure altimeters and radio altimeters
Carbonate mineral
Earth science; Geology
A mineral in which the basic building block is a carbon atom linked to three oxygen atoms. Calcite, aragonite and dolomite are the most abundant examples found in sediment and sedimentary rocks.
Active layer
Earth science; Geology
The name given to the upper part of the soil in periglacial areas (experiencing permafrost conditions) which undergoes seasonal thawing. This active layer becomes saturated and moves downslope.
Convection zone
Earth science; Geology
The outer 30% of the Suns radius where heat is transferred via convection currents. Temperatures continue to drop in this zone from 1.5 x 106 K at the base to 5800 K at the surface or photosphere.
Cambrian
Earth science; Geology
The earliest period of the Paleozoic era, spanning the time between 544 and 505 million years ago. It is named after Cambria, the Roman name for Wales, where rocks of this age were first studied.
Binomial distribution
Earth science; Geology
This is a theoretical frequency test. Where a particular feature of a parent population is known, this tests the likelihood of that characteristic being observed in a sample of that population.
