Across
- 1. A narrow and tight corridor along the ocean floor, and houses the deepest areas of the Earth’s ocean system.
- 3. Refers literally to the “study of Earth”, and pertains to the physical significance of Earth’s processes, as well as the historical timeline in which the planet formed.
- 4. A concentrated area of study devoted to weather and its processes, and the changes presented in specific patterns in the atmosphere.
- 7. A large, flat area of land composed of igneous and metamorphic bedrock with continental interiors.
- 11. The outer shell of the Earth’s interior. It is at its thickest underneath continents, and at its thinnest underneath the ocean floor.
- 14. An underwater volcanic foundation, which may create a long and thin chain along the sea floor.
- 15. Outside of areas featuring trenches, and a gradual incline of the sea floor composed of sediment, which shifted away from the continental shelf.
- 18. Section of the ocean floor right beside major land masses or continents. Often includes the continental shelf.
- 23. A gradual slope that continues from the shoreline towards the sea floor. Often cited as a point of reference for flooded continental areas.
- 24. A highly prominent feature in continental land masses, and is a linear path in which a mountain range forms.
- 25. (Mid-Ocean Ridge) A highly prominent feature along the ocean floor composed of fractured igneous rock.
- 26. An interacting yet independent process that operates separate from the entirety of the Earth.
- 27. Any area on Earth covered by ocean water (average depth is 3.8 kilometers).
- 29. The realm consisting of all life present on Earth. Concentrated predominantly in shallow waters, and land masses closest to sea level.
- 30. The most dense part of the Earth’s interior, and sits below the mantle.
- 31. System A general term describing the interactions between different respective systems within Earth’s many “spheres”.
- 33. Time Regarded as the amount of time denoted since the creation of Earth, and is associated with large increments to time.
- 34. A much steeper drop-off that continues past the end of the continental shelf, and into the deeper ocean.
- 35. A large, very flat area within a Deep-Ocean Basin.
- 36. The thin layer encompassing the physical Earth, which houses oxygen and other emitted greenhouse gases. A representation of an open system.
Down
- 2. A centered area of the study of Earth, concentrated on the systems within the world’s oceans. It is not a separate field of “science”, and is rather a combination of basic scientific areas with a focus on ocean life and structures.
- 5. Theory A relatively new “theory” that argues the formation of the solar system was derived from a large solar nebula, in which nuclear fusion began.
- 6. The interior area of a continent, which is much older than Mountain Belts.
- 8. Basically a study of the known universe, with an emphasis on the relationship between earth and other known processes within the solar system and surrounding galaxy.
- 9. Another flat area within the continental interior, which instead houses deformed rocks and a tin top layer of sedimentary rock.
- 10. Science A collection of sciences, centered on geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. Demands an understanding of the complexities within Earth’s many systems.
- 11. A mostly flat landmass featuring plateaus and other land forms risen above sea level (average elevation of 0.8 kilometers).
- 12. An area that lies between the continental shore regions and oceanic ridges. May contain largely flat areas.
- 13. An area of the outer layer of the interior, which houses the entirety of the crust and a portion of the outer mantle.
- 16. A well-tested and well accepted viewpoint among scientists. Well beyond the uncertainty of a guess or hypothesis.
- 17. A less dense middle section of the interior.
- 19. An “educated guess”, or untested answer provided for a scientific question. Forms the basis of an experiment or series of tests and investigations.
- 20. A scientific study devoted to viewing the Earth as a whole system, with a combination of various smaller systems forming a united whole planet. Power source derived from the Sun and the heat of the core.
- 21. A pathway undertaken throughout the duration of an experiment or testing period, in which different ideas and concepts are exchanged in a joint effort to add legitimacy to a hypothesis, or additional strength to a theory.
- 22. The area of the Earth between the surface and its center (which lies about 6400 kilometers beneath). The layering of Earth’s interior is linked to distinct physical and chemical properties.
- 28. An area of the Earth featuring the rotating “cycle” of water, from evaporation to precipitation, and the return of rainwater to the oceans.
- 32. A solid yet slowly moving section of the interior beneath the lithosphere, and is composed of significantly weaker rocks.