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radiation the transfer of heat from a region of relative humidity the ratio (times 100 percent) rock flour rock pulverized by a glacier into s
higher temperature to a region of lower tem- of how much water vapor is in the air to powdery, silt-sized sediment
perature by greater emission of radiant en- the maximum amount of water vapor that rockfall the rapid tumbling, bouncing, or
ergy from the region of higher temperature could be in the air at a given temperature free fall of rock fragments from a cliff or
radiation zone part of the interior of a star rem the measure of radiation that considers steep slope
according to a model; the region directly the biological effects of different kinds of rockslide a sudden, rapid movement of a co-
above the core where gamma and X rays ionizing radiation herent unit of rock along a clearly defined
from the core are absorbed and reemitted, replacement reaction a chemical reaction in surface or plane
with the radiation slowly working its way which an atom or a polyatomic ion is re- rotation the spinning of a planet on its axis
outward placed in a compound by a different atom runoff water moving across the surface of
radioactive decay the natural spontaneous or polyatomic ion Earth as opposed to soaking into the ground
disintegration or decomposition of a nucleus replacement (fossil formation) a process
radioactive decay constant a specific con- in which an organism’s buried remains are S
stant for a particular isotope that is the altered by circulating groundwaters car- salinity a measure of dissolved salts in sea-
ratio of the rate of nuclear disintegration rying elements in solution; the removal of water, defined as the mass of salts dissolved
per unit of time to the total number of original materials by dissolutions and the in 1,000 g of solution
radioactive nuclei replacement of new materials one atom or salt any ionic compound except one with
radioactive decay series a series of decay molecule at a time hydroxide or oxide ions
reactions that begins with one radioactive representative elements the name given to San Andreas fault in California, the bound-
nucleus that decays to a second nucleus the members of the group A families of the ary between the North American Plate and
that decays to a third nucleus and so on un- periodic table; also called the main-group the Pacific Plate that runs north-south for
til a stable nucleus is reached elements some 1,300 km (800 mi) with the Pacific
radioactivity the spontaneous emission of reservoir a natural or an artificial pond or Plate moving northwest and the North
particles or energy from an atomic nucleus lake used to store water, control floods, or American Plate moving southeast
as it disintegrates generate electricity; a body of water stored saturated molecule an organic molecule
radiometric age the age of rocks determined for public use that has the maximum number of hydro-
by measuring the radioactive decay of un- resonance when the frequency of an exter- gen atoms possible
stable elements within the crystals of cer- nal force matches the natural frequency saturated solution the apparent limit to dis-
tain minerals in the rocks and standing waves are set up solving a given solid in a specified amount
rarefaction a thinning or pulse of decreased responding variable the variable that re- of water at a given temperature; a state of
density and pressure of gas molecules sponds to changes in the manipulated vari- equilibrium that exists between dissolving
ratio a relationship between two numbers, able; also known as the dependent variable solute and solute coming out of solution
one divided by the other; the ratio of dis- because its value depends on the value of saturation (of water vapor) an equilibrium
tance per time is speed the manipulated variable condition that occurs when evaporation
real image an image generated by a lens or reverberation apparent increase in volume and condensation are in balance
mirror that can be projected onto a screen caused by reflections, usually arriving with- scientific law a relationship between quan-
red giant stars one of two groups of stars on in 0.1 second after the original sound tities, usually described by an equation in
the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram that have reverse fault a fault where the hanging wall has the physical sciences; is more important
a different set of properties than the main moved upward with respect to the footwall and describes a wider range of phenomena
sequence stars; bright, low- temperature revolution the motion of a planet as it orbits than a scientific principle
giant stars that are enormously bright for the Sun scientific principle a relationship between
their temperature Richter scale expresses the intensity of an quantities concerned with a specific or nar-
redox reaction the short name for oxidation earthquake in terms of a scale with each row range of observations and behavior
reduction reaction higher number indicating 10 times more scintillation counter a device that indirectly
reducing agent supplies electrons to the sub- ground movement and about 30 times more measures ionizing radiation (alpha, beta,
stance being reduced in a chemical reaction energy released than the preceding number gamma, etc.) by measuring the flashes of
referent referring to or thinking of a prop erty ridges long, rugged mountain chains ris- light produced when the radiation strikes
in terms of another, more familiar object ing thousands of meters above the abyssal a phosphor
reflected ray a line representing direction of plains of the ocean basin sea a smaller part of the ocean with character-
motion of light reflected from a boundary rift a split or fracture in a rock formation, in istics that distinguish it from the larger ocean
reflection the change when light, sound, a land formation, or in the crust of Earth sea breeze cool, dense air from over water
or other waves bounce backward off a rip current a strong, brief current that runs moving over land as part of convective
boundary against the surf and out to sea circulation
refraction a change in the direction of travel rock a solid aggregation of minerals or min- seafloor spreading the process by which
of light, sound, or other waves crossing a eral materials that have been brought to- hot, molten rock moves up from the
boundary gether into a cohesive solid interior of Earth to emerge along mid-
rejuvenation the process of uplifting land rock cycle the understanding of igneous, oceanic rifts, flowing out in both directions
that renews the effectiveness of weathering sedimentary, or metamorphic rock as a to create new rocks
and erosion processes temporary state in an ongoing transforma- seamounts steep, submerged volcanic peaks
relative dating dating the age of a rock unit tion of rocks into new types; the process of on the abyssal plain
or geologic event relative to some other rocks continually changing from one type second the standard unit of time in both the
unit or event to another metric and English systems of measurement

G-13 Glossary