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    Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed with 15 Projects
    Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed with 15 Projects
    Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed with 15 Projects
    Ebook209 pages2 hours

    Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed with 15 Projects

    By Cynthia Light Brown

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    About this ebook

    Venturing through two of the most diverse and fascinating regions of North America, these activity books combine the subjects of geology and physical geography while making them captivating and fun. With a different approach, this series reveals the underlying processes for kids, explaining each region's evolution and illustrating the different forces of nature that have changed the continent over time. The lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, the dry and arid deserts of the Southwest, and even the volcanoes and rainforests of Hawaii are all explored in detail as the chapters chronicle the effects of plate tectonics; landforms such as mountains, plateaus, and canyons; and the elements of climates and ecosystems. A plethora of hands-on projects ensure the learning process is both engaging and entertaining, including making a swamp cooler, creating a rift zone, building a seismograph, constructing basalt columns and water wheels to harness the power of a river, fashioning moving tectonic plates, and even mimicking nature's process of carving an arch.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNomad Press
    Release dateMay 1, 2011
    ISBN9781936313457
    Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed with 15 Projects

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      Book preview

      Geology of the Pacific Northwest - Cynthia Light Brown

      Nomad Press

      A division of Nomad Communications

      10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      Copyright © 2011 by Nomad Press. All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review or for limited educational use. The trademark Nomad Press and the Nomad Press logo are trademarks of Nomad Communications, Inc.

      This book was manufactured by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, MI USA.

      May 2011, Job # 325132

      ISBN: 978-1-936313-38-9

      Illustrations by Eric Baker

      Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to Independent Publishers Group

      814 N. Franklin St.

      Chicago, IL 60610

      www.ipgbook.com

      Nomad Press

      2456 Christian St.

      White River Junction, VT 05001

      www.nomadpress.net

      green press

      INITIATIVE

      Nomad Press is committed to preserving ancient forests and natural resources. We elected to print Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed on 4,507 lbs. of Williamsburg Recycled 30 percent offset.

      Nomad Press made this paper choice because our printer, Sheridan Books, is a member of Green Press Initiative, a nonprofit program dedicated to supporting authors, publishers, and suppliers in their efforts to reduce their use of fiber obtained from endangered forests. For more information, visit www.greenpressinitiative.org

      CONTENTS

      INTRODUCTION

      Geology and Geography

      CHAPTER 1

      Plate Tectonics Shape Our Land and Sea

      CHAPTER 2

      Mountain Ranges

      CHAPTER 3

      Volcanoes and Earthquakes!

      CHAPTER 4

      Basins and Plateaus

      CHAPTER 5

      Climate

      CHAPTER 6

      Rivers

      CHAPTER 7

      Ecosystems

      CHAPTER 8

      The Coast

      GLOSSARY

      RESOURCES

      INDEX

      INTRODUCTION

      GEOEOLOGY & GEOGRAPHY

      The Pacific Northwest is a land of exciting contrasts. It has the largest annual snowfall in the world. It has rainforests, and it has deserts. The Pacific Northwest also has some of our nation’s greatest natural wonders, such as the mighty Columbia River, majestic Denali Peak, and rugged Glacier National Park.

      How did these amazing landscapes form? Why are they so different from other parts of the country? Most of the Pacific Northwest wasn’t even part of the original North American continent, but was stitched together like a patchwork quilt. That stitching is still going on, which causes explosive volcanoes and rumbling earthquakes.

      In this book, you’ll learn about the geology and physical geography of the Pacific Northwest. You’ll read about the great forces that have shaped the region’s mountains, rivers, weather, and ecosystems. You’ll also come across some interesting trivia facts.

      Did you know that the highest mountain in the United States is in the Pacific Northwest? And that the region holds the United States record for the largest temperature change in one day? As you read through this book, you’ll get to work on a lot of exciting experiments and projects. They will help you understand the concepts better, like how fog forms on the West Coast.

      WORDS TO KNOW

      geology: the scientific study of the history and physical nature of the earth.

      geography: the study of the earth and its features, especially the shape of the land, and the effect of human activity on the earth.

      ecosystem: a community of plants and animals living in the same area and relying on each other to survive.

      atmosphere: the air surrounding the earth.

      hydrosphere: the earth’s water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, and water vapor in the air.

      GEOLOGY: MORE THAN JUST ROCKS

      Most people think of geology as the study of rocks. It certainly includes that, but it’s much more. When you look at a rock, you can describe its color and shape. But what is even more interesting is how that rock formed and how it got to its present location. That involves seeing the big picture—the picture of the whole earth.

      Geology is the scientific study of the history and physical nature of the earth. It explains how the color and shape of a rock gives clues to the history of that rock.

      Geology involves the huge movements of the earth’s crust. It also involves the systems of the atmosphere and hydrosphere, because air and water affect the breakdown and formation of rocks. And the geology of the Pacific Northwest tells an exciting part of that story.

      GEOGRAPHY: MORE THAN JUST STATES AND CAPITALS

      Just as geology is about more than just rocks, geography is about more than just states and their capitals. These are important, but geography tells a bigger story.

      There are two parts to geography. Physical geography includes things like mountains, rivers, climate, and the shape of the land. The second part of geography is how people interact with the land. This is called cultural geography and it includes things like population, agriculture, and recreation. An example of cultural geography would be how people affect the flow of a river by building dams or cities on it.

      WORDS TO KNOW

      climate: the average weather of an area over a long period of time.

      The geography of the Pacific Northwest includes a lot of sprawling mountain ranges. This makes the borders of the region hard to define. For example, the northern Rocky Mountains cover Idaho, but they also extend into western Montana. The Cascade Mountains run through the states of Washington and Oregon, but also into the very northern part of California.

      This book covers all of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska, as well as western Montana and the northern section of California. It focuses on the geology and physical geography of the Pacific Northwest.

      Are you ready to explore the thundering waterfalls, active volcanoes, and surging glaciers of the Pacific Northwest? Then let’s go and visit this incredible land of beauty and adventure!

      CHAPTER 1

      PLATE TECTONICS SHAPE

      OUR LAND AND SEA

      What is the driving force behind the formation of the different landscapes in the Pacific Northwest? You need to understand plate tectonics.

      WORDS TO KNOW

      plate tectonics: the theory that describes how plates move across the earth and interact with each other to produce earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains.

      Plate tectonics is a scientific theory developed in the 1960s. It says that the outer layer of the earth is made up of interconnected plates that are constantly moving around. Volcanoes, mountains, valleys, and earthquakes all happen when and where they do because of the movement of the earth’s plates. To understand plate tectonics, first let’s look inside the earth.

      A PEEK INSIDE

      WORDS TO KNOW

      crust: the thin, brittle, outer layer of the earth. Together with the upper mantle, it forms the lithosphere.

      brittle: describes a solid that breaks when put under pressure. A blade of grass will bend, but a dry twig is brittle and will break.

      mantle: the middle layer of the earth. The upper mantle, together with the crust, forms the lithosphere.

      lithosphere: the rigid outer layer of the earth that includes the crust and the upper mantle.

      asthenosphere: the semi-molten middle layer of the earth that includes the lower mantle. Much of the asthenosphere flows slowly, like Silly Putty.

      core: the center of the earth, composed of the metals iron and nickel. The core has two parts—a solid inner core, and a liquid outer core.

      The earth is made up of three main layers. They have different chemical compositions and physical properties.

      The crust is the thin, outer layer of the earth. This is the layer that we walk on. It’s solid but brittle, which means that it breaks when under pressure.

      The mantle is the layer below the crust. It is hotter and denser here because the temperature and pressure inside the earth increase the deeper you go. The upper mantle is brittle and solid. Together, the crust and the upper mantle form the lithosphere, or the hard outer layer of the earth. The lithosphere is broken into plates. Below the plates is a layer called the asthenosphere. It is partially molten and can flow slowly without breaking—a bit like Silly Putty.

      The core is the center of the earth. It is extremely dense and made up of iron and nickel. There’s an inner core, which is solid because the pressure is so great, and an outer core, which is liquid. The core is almost as hot as the sun—about 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5,000 degrees Celsius)!

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