Unit 8 - Earth Systems (H)

A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth's surface.

An overflowing of water in a normally dry area

A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and whose strong winds spiral in toward the eye

The shaking that results from the movement of tectonic plates beneath Earth's surface

a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or other disturbance

A vent or crack in the Earth's surface through which magma and gases are expelled

Heavy rainfall, lots of plants and trees, flat land, little erosion by water and wind

Along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, humid and warm with much rainfall, high erosion by wind and water

Erosion has left most of the region lined with limestone rock layers. Chemical weathering has formed many caves and caverns

Rain does not fall evenly over the area and creates the "Desert portion" of Texas

Soils in this area are most fertile and sought after for crop production. Periods of drought create large amounts of wind erosion

Considered the oldest land in Texas. Soil is not prone to flooding because it allows water to infiltrate very easily.

Hard granite dome formed underground, exposed as softer rock above weathered & eroded away

Rocky, dry soil cannot support grasses, but short trees can thrive because of their deeper root system.

Catastrophic events such as hurricanes can increase wave erosion and deposition here and in the Gulf Coastal Plain.

a conical mineral deposit formed on the floor of a cave by the deposition of mineral-rich water

a conical mineral deposit formed on the roof of a cave by the deposition of mineral-rich water

A large cave

A deep, hollowed-out area under the earth's surface caused by chemical weathering

The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes

A very weak acid formed in when carbon dioxide dissolves in water. Can chemically dissolve limestone to form caves

An area where all groundwater and surface water drains into the same body of water.

Water that collects above the surface of the ground

The water that is beneath Earth's surface

A permeable rock layer that can hold or transport groundwater

The highest level of groundwater in an area, beneath the Earth's surface

Ability of rock or soil to allow water to flow through it

Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

A relatively large area that is characterized by distinctive plant and animal communities, climate, and ecological features.

The breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.

The movement of sediment from one place to another

The placement of sediment after being carried from place of origin

A swell of water that sweeps across the coast where a hurricane lands and causes the most damage.

Types of groundwater contamination

Largest aquifer in North America.

When toxic materials are introduced into groundwater