Across
- 2. Continuous movement of seawater driven by wind, temperature, and salinity.
- 6. The deflection of moving air and water due to Earth’s rotation.
- 9. The layer of gases surrounding Earth, composed mainly of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases.
- 12. U.S. program paying farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from production and plant species that improve environmental quality.
- 14. Long-term patterns of temperature and precipitation in a region.
- 17. plates move apart, forming rift valleys and mid-ocean ridges.
- 18. plates collide, forming mountains or subduction zones
- 20. The ability of soil to transmit water.
- 22. Process where water carries dissolved nutrients downward through soil layers.
- 24. The amount of pore space in soil that can hold air or water.
- 26. Breakdown of rocks into smaller particles by physical, chemical, or biological processes.
- 27. The source of a river or stream.
- 30. A climate pattern where warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean alters global weather.
- 31. Fourth layer; very thin air, auroras occur here.
- 34. Dry area on the leeward side of a mountain, caused by air losing moisture as it rises and cools.
- 36. Flat land near a river that floods periodically, depositing nutrient-rich soil.
- 37. Lowest layer of the atmosphere; weather occurs here.
- 38. Horizons Distinct layers in soil (O, A, B, C) that vary in composition and properties.
Down
- 1. Belt Global thermohaline circulation that moves warm and cold water around the globe.
- 3. A boundary where plates slide past one another, often causing earthquakes.
- 4. A smaller stream that flows into a larger river.
- 5. The amount of sunlight energy reaching Earth’s surface.
- 7. Steady winds blowing from east to west in the tropics.
- 8. Second layer; contains the ozone layer that absorbs harmful UV radiation.
- 10. Sudden release of energy in Earth’s crust, producing seismic waves.
- 11. A large ocean wave generated by undersea earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions.
- 13. – The reflectivity of a surface; higher albedo surfaces (like ice) reflect more solar radiation.
- 15. The opposite of El Niño; cooler Pacific waters influence global climate patterns.
- 16. The land area that drains into a particular river or stream system.
- 17. Drying out of soil, reducing fertility.
- 19. Outermost layer, merging into space.
- 20. The area where two tectonic plates meet; can be divergent, convergent, or transform.
- 21. Short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific place.
- 23. Large circular ocean current systems driven by global winds and the Coriolis Effect.
- 25. The theory that Earth’s lithosphere is divided into plates that move over the asthenosphere, driving earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.
- 28. Third layer; where most meteors burn up.
- 29. Degradation of land in arid areas due to overuse, climate, or deforestation.
- 32. sand, silt, clay – The relative proportions of particle sizes in soil; influences fertility and drainage.
- 33. Buildup of salts in soil, often from irrigation.
- 35. An opening in Earth’s crust where magma, gases, and ash erupt to the surface.