Geological Processes Vocabulary

noun the process of heating a substance to a high temperature in order to bring about chemical changes, such as the removal of volatile components

• The process of calcination involves heating a substance to a high temperature in order to bring about chemical changes.
• Calcination is when you heat something up really hot to change its composition.
• Calcination is like cooking for chemicals - just heat it up and see what happens!
• In life, going through challenges can be seen as a form of calcination, where we are heated up and transformed into something stronger.

verb to make or become rough or harsh in texture or quality

• The fabric will coarsen if washed in hot water.
• Don't use that detergent, it will coarsen the material.
• Stop scrubbing so hard, you're just gonna coarsen the surface.
• His harsh words only served to coarsen their relationship.

noun a liquid fossil fuel

• The price of crude oil has been fluctuating due to global demand and supply factors.
• I heard that the cost of crude oil is going up again.
• They struck it rich when they hit a gusher of crude oil on their land.
• His emotions were like crude oil, bubbling up to the surface uncontrollably.

verb to strip or deprive something of its covering, possessions, or assets

• The denuded forest was a result of deforestation.
• The denuded hillside looked so bare after the fire.
• They denuded the place of all its valuables.
• Her denuded emotions left her feeling vulnerable.

verb to gradually wear away or diminish

• The constant exposure to harsh weather conditions caused the rocks to erode over time.
• The waves erode the sand on the beach every day.
• That gossip will erode your reputation if you're not careful.
• The lies began to erode the trust between them.

verb to convert into a fossil; to make or become antiquated or rigid

• Over time, the organic material in the bone can fossilize and turn into a mineralized form.
• If you leave that bread out too long, it's going to fossilize and become as hard as a rock.
• I forgot about that sandwich in my bag and now it's fossilized.
• His outdated views on technology have fossilized, making it difficult for him to adapt to new advancements.

noun a stage in a process of change or development

adjective relating to or denoting a series of successive stages or degrees

• The artist used a subtle gradation of colors to create a sense of depth in the painting.
• I love how the sunset has a beautiful gradation of colors from pink to orange.
• That hairstyle has a cool gradation going from dark to light at the tips.
• The gradation of emotions in the novel's climax left readers on the edge of their seats.

noun a substance that is separated from a solution as a solid

verb to cause (something) to happen quickly or suddenly

adjective done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration

• The addition of a certain chemical can precipitate a reaction in the solution.
• Adding too much salt can precipitate the pasta cooking faster.
• Her rude comment really precipitated a fight between them.
• The sudden change in weather seemed to precipitate a shift in mood for the group.

noun the upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a black or dark brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic substances, clay, and rock particles

• The soil composition in this region is ideal for agriculture.
• I love playing in the soil when gardening.
• Hey, let's get our hands dirty in the soil and plant some flowers!
• The soil of creativity must be nurtured in order for ideas to grow.

verb to fall forward or to cause something to fall forward, especially in a sudden or unexpected way

• The strong winds caused the tree to topple over.
• The gusty winds made the tree topple.
• The tree totally toppled in the storm.
• The scandal could potentially topple the entire government.

noun The act of giving birth to a calf (in cows or other ungulates)

• The process of calving involves the breaking off of large pieces of ice from a glacier.
• We might get lucky and witness some calving while we're out on the boat.
• I heard there's some crazy calving happening down at the ice shelf.
• The company is calving off non-profitable divisions to focus on their core business.

verb the action of gradually increasing or growing by the accumulation of additional layers or material

• The accreting matter around the black hole forms a swirling disk of gas and dust.
• The black hole is just sucking in all that stuff and making a big mess with it.
• That black hole is like a vacuum cleaner, accreting everything in its path.
• Her wealth was slowly accreting over the years, growing steadily with each successful investment.

adjective relating to or based on actualism, the principle that the actual facts and events of the past are the key to understanding the past

• The study of actualistic processes helps us understand past geological events.
• By looking at actualistic data, scientists can make better predictions about the future.
• I'm all about that actualistic life, always looking at real-life examples.
• In a figurative sense, actualistic thinking can be applied to everyday decision-making.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'adiabatic gradient' is a noun because it refers to the rate of change of temperature with altitude in an adiabatic process.

• The adiabatic gradient is the rate of change of temperature with altitude in a parcel of air that is not exchanging heat with its surroundings.
• The adiabatic gradient basically tells us how temperature changes as you go higher up in the atmosphere without heat exchange.
• The adiabatic gradient is like the temperature change as you move up in the air without any heat sharing going on.
• Think of the adiabatic gradient as the temperature shift in a bubble of air as it rises up without interacting with its environment.

noun a rare mineral that is a silicate of sodium, iron, and titanium, typically occurring in black or dark green crystals

• Aenigmatite is a rare mineral that is often found in igneous rocks.
• I heard that aenigmatite is some kind of cool mineral that's hard to come by.
• Have you seen that new aenigmatite rock? It's lit!
• Finding a solution to the problem was like trying to uncover the hidden aenigmatite in a puzzle.

noun a member of a Greek tribe that settled in Thessaly

adjective relating to or caused by the wind; specifically relating to a mode of musical composition

• The Aeolian mode in music is characterized by a particular sequence of intervals.
• I love the sound of Aeolian wind chimes in my garden.
• Let's go chill at the Aeolian beach this weekend.
• The artist's brushstrokes had an Aeolian quality, flowing effortlessly like the wind.

noun a type of attachment used in scientific instruments to measure wind speed or direction

adjective related to the measurement of wind speed or direction using aeolian attachments

• The aeolian attachment on the instrument allows for precise control over the sound produced.
• I love how the aeolian attachment on this guitar makes it sound so unique.
• Check out the cool aeolian attachment on this synth, it's lit!
• The aeolian attachment on her voice seemed to amplify the emotion in her singing.