week 3

the four main earth subsystems

system that contains gases, regulates temperature, blocks radiation, help weather and wind, and drives climate systems

system that contains rocks, soil, continents, fossils, tectonic plates and is composed of the earth’s layers (crust, mantle, inner and outer core)

system that includes all the fresh and salty water across the whole globe and how it operates through the water cycle

system that contains all life on earth, including fungi, plants, animals, bacteria, etc

system that contains human interactions

system that contains the magnetic field on earth

system that contains the everything outside of earth, such as the solar system

naturally occurring aggregate or combination of minerals or mineralds

natural building block of the earth’s lithosphere

they are formed by natural processes

this forms when magma cools down and hardens

this forms when small pieces of rocks are pressed together

these are formed by heat and pressure

maybe formed below the earth (intrusive) or on the surface (extrusive)

these rocks usually contain fossils or other types of rocks

these are often found at the bottom of bodies of water

these rocks are usually found within the earth

characteristics of minerals

quality of light on the surface of the rock

color of powdered mineral produced when it is dragged across a surface

ability to resist scratching or abrasion

tendency of minerals to split or cleave along points of weakness

caused by the absorption or lack of visible light by their crystalline structure