Catalonia PAU Geology & Env Sci key terms

The rigid outer shell of the Earth, comprising the crust and the uppermost solid mantle, broken into tectonic plates that move over the weaker asthenosphere below.

A hot, partially molten and mechanically weak layer of the upper mantle beneath the lithosphere, along which tectonic plates can slide and which feeds magma to volcanoes.

The zone where two lithospheric plates meet, classified as divergent, convergent or transform depending on relative motion, and where most earthquakes and volcanoes occur.

The process in which a dense oceanic plate sinks beneath another plate at a convergent boundary, generating deep earthquakes, volcanic arcs and mountain belts.

Molten or partially molten rock generated in the mantle or crust, which rises, cools and crystallises to form igneous rocks or erupts as lava.

The solid-state transformation of a rock under changed temperature, pressure or fluid conditions, producing new minerals and textures without melting the rock.

A planar layering or alignment of platy minerals in a metamorphic rock, formed by directed pressure and used to identify rock type and deformation history.

A bend in rock layers produced by compressional deformation, described as anticline or syncline depending on whether the layers arch upward or downward.

A fracture in rock along which displacement has occurred, classified as normal, reverse or strike-slip according to the direction of relative movement.

The in-situ breakdown of rocks by physical, chemical or biological processes, producing regolith and dissolved ions without transporting the material away.

The removal and transport of weathered rock or soil particles by agents such as water, wind, ice or gravity, shaping landscapes and feeding sediment to basins.

The deposition and accumulation of transported particles or dissolved substances in a basin, followed by compaction and cementation to form sedimentary rock.

A layered surface material of mineral particles, organic matter, water and air that supports plant growth and forms through weathering and biological activity over time.

The downslope transfer of rock, soil or debris under gravity, including falls, slides and flows, often triggered by heavy rain, earthquakes or slope modification.

The probability that ground shaking of a given intensity will affect a place within a time period, estimated from fault activity and historical earthquake records.

The chronological framework dividing Earth history into eons, eras, periods and epochs, based on major changes recorded in rocks and fossils.

The study of the order, age and correlation of layered rocks, using principles such as superposition and lateral continuity to reconstruct geological history.

A fossil species with a wide geographic range and short geological duration, used to date and correlate rock layers between different locations.

A geologically rapid loss of a large proportion of species worldwide, recorded in the fossil record and often linked to climate, volcanic or impact events.

A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and ordered atomic structure, identified by properties such as hardness, lustre and cleavage.

The set of processes that transform igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks into one another through melting, weathering, burial and metamorphism over geological time.

A rock or mineral deposit rich enough in a valuable element to be mined economically, whose grade and accessibility determine its viability.

A carbon-rich energy resource such as coal, oil or natural gas formed from buried organic matter over millions of years and released by combustion as carbon dioxide.

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, applied to resource use, energy and environmental management.

The warming of the lower atmosphere as gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapour absorb and re-emit infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface.

A long-term shift in temperature, precipitation or wind patterns, driven by natural factors or human emissions of greenhouse gases.

The force per unit area exerted by the weight of air above a point, decreasing with altitude and driving winds from high to low pressure areas.

The continuous circulation of water between ocean, atmosphere and land through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff and infiltration.

A permeable rock or sediment body that stores and transmits groundwater in usable quantities, recharged by infiltration and dischargeable through springs or wells.

The land area draining to a common river, lake or sea outlet, used as the natural unit for managing water quantity, quality and land use.

The introduction of substances or heat into water that harm organisms or make it unfit for use, from sources such as agriculture, industry and urban runoff.

Nutrient enrichment of water, usually by nitrates and phosphates, causing excessive algal growth, oxygen depletion and loss of aquatic life.

A community of organisms interacting with each other and with their physical environment, studied through energy flow and nutrient cycling.

The variety of life at genetic, species and ecosystem levels, which underpins ecosystem stability and resilience to disturbance.

The movement of elements such as carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus between living organisms and the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.

The maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely given available resources, affected by food, space, water and waste limits.

A natural process or event with potential to harm people, property or the environment, such as an earthquake, flood, landslide or volcanic eruption.

The expected harm from a hazard, combining the probability of the event with the value and vulnerability of what is exposed.

Measures taken to reduce the severity or likelihood of harm from hazards or environmental change, such as land-use limits, defences or emission cuts.

A formal procedure that predicts the environmental effects of a proposed project before approval, allowing conditions or alternatives to be imposed.