Across
- 9. The layer of gases surrounding the Earth, held in place by gravity, and essential for life. It protects living organisms from harmful solar radiation and helps regulate temperature.
- 15. A semi-fluid layer of the Earth's mantle situated below the lithosphere. It allows tectonic plates to move due to its ductile nature.
- 16. All water naturally open to the atmosphere, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and oceans.
- 17. A natural occurrence resulting from geological processes, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or the formation of mountain ranges.
- 18. The breakdown of rocks, soil, and minerals through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, water, and biological organisms. It can be physical (mechanical), chemical, or biological.
- 19. Naturally occurring inorganic substances with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic structure. They are the building blocks of rocks.
- 21. The scientific theory explaining the movement of the Earth's lithospheric plates over the semi-fluid asthenosphere, leading to various geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain formation.
- 23. The solid parts of the Earth, including the crust, mantle, and core. It encompasses all the rocks, minerals, and landforms on the planet.
Down
- 1. Natural processes that shape the Earth's structure and composition, including volcanic activity, erosion, sedimentation, and plate tectonics.
- 2. The rigid outer shell of the Earth, encompassing the crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates that move over the asthenosphere.
- 3. A type of tectonic plate boundary where two plates move towards each other, often resulting in mountain building, earthquakes, or subduction zones where one plate moves beneath another.
- 4. A type of plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide horizontally past one another, which can result in earthquakes.
- 5. Water located beneath the Earth's surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. It is a significant source of drinking water and irrigation.
- 6. Severe or dangerous weather conditions, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, or thunderstorms, that can pose risks to life and property.
- 7. The expulsion of magma, ash, and gases from a volcano, which can significantly impact the environment and human activities.
- 8. A natural event or phenomenon that has the potential to cause harm to humans, property, or the environment, such as earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes.
- 10. All the water on Earth's surface, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and glaciers, as well as groundwater and atmospheric water vapor.
- 11. A tectonic boundary where two plates move apart from each other, leading to the creation of new crust as magma rises from the mantle, commonly forming mid-ocean ridges.
- 12. An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics at divergent boundaries, where new oceanic crust is generated by volcanic activity.
- 13. The sudden shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a release of energy in the crust due to tectonic movements or volcanic activity.
- 14. The process by which surface materials are worn away and transported by natural agents such as wind, water, or ice.
- 20. The edges where two tectonic plates meet. There are three main types: convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries, each associated with specific geological activities.
- 22. The arrangement of natural and artificial physical features of an area, including its terrain's shape, elevation, and the position of features.