2.1.0 The Rock Beneath Review — the 8 pairs that get mixed up
Most mix-ups happen when two words sit next to each other. These are the 8 pairs
worth practicing apart. The 8 marked most confused are the ones the course
itself flags, or that sit closest together.
Cover the right-hand column with your hand, read the left definition, and say which term it
is out loud before you look. Then swap sides.
most confused
crust
Earth’s thin outer surface.
vs
lithosphere
The crust plus the upper mantle.
How to tellThe lithosphere includes more than the crust.
most confused
oceanic crust
Thinner crust beneath oceans.
vs
continental crust
Thicker crust containing continents.
How to tellAt subduction zones, thinner oceanic crust can slide under continental crust.
most confused
mountain
Land that rises sharply.
vs
volcano
An opening that releases magma, ash, and gases.
How to tellA volcano may look like a mountain, but its defining feature is the opening.
most confused
plain
Flat and low.
vs
plateau
Flat and elevated.
How to tellBoth are flat; height separates them.
most confused
mesa
Wide, flat-topped hill larger than a butte.
vs
butte
Older, smaller, and steeper-sided.
How to tellMesa is the wider table; butte is the smaller tower.
most confused
island
Water on all sides.
vs
peninsula
Water on three sides and attached to mainland.
How to tellCheck whether the land stays connected.
most confused
erosion
Water, wind, ice, or gravity carries material away.
vs
deposition
Wind or water drops sand or soil.
How to tellErosion removes; deposition leaves behind.
most confused
Pangaea
The ancient supercontinent.
vs
Panthalassa
The ocean surrounding it.
How to tellPangaea was land; Panthalassa was water.
