Earth Systems

2. A measure of how much open space exists in soil or rock to hold water.
3. A dry region on the downwind side of a mountain due to air losing moisture on the windward side.
5. A plate boundary where two tectonic plates move toward each other, often forming mountains or subduction zones.
6. The buildup of salt in soil due to irrigation or evaporation, reducing agricultural productivity.
7. The movement of cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface, supporting high productivity.
11. Niña A periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters that typically causes opposite climate effects of El Niño.
13. The semi-molten layer beneath the lithosphere where convection drives plate motion.
15. Niño A periodic warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean that disrupts global weather patterns.
16. A location where magma rises through the mantle outside of plate boundaries, forming volcanic islands like Hawaii.
18. A large circular ocean current system formed by global wind patterns and Earth’s rotation.
19. The dark, nutrient-rich organic material in soil formed from decomposed plant and animal matter.

1. A plate boundary where tectonic plates move apart, creating new crust such as mid-ocean ridges.
4. The process in which one tectonic plate sinks beneath another into the mantle.
8. The movement of sediment or rock fragments by wind, water, ice, or gravity.
9. A soil texture ideal for plant growth, containing a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.
10. A groundwater storage area in permeable rock or sediment that supplies wells and springs.
11. The rigid outer layer of Earth made up of the crust and upper mantle.
12. The breaking down of rock into smaller pieces by physical, chemical, or biological processes.
14. The land area that drains all precipitation to a single stream or river system.
17. The ability of soil or rock to allow water to flow through it.