Separates England's southern coast from France's northern coast. Area of 29,000 square miles, smallest European continental shelf sea. Current name likely derived from Dutch sea atlases of late 16th century
Extends 5,500 miles from South America's southern tip to Caribbean coast. Contains highest peaks in Western Hemisphere, including Mount Aconcagua (22,831 feet). Consists of parallel mountain ranges (cordilleras) and intervening plateaus. Divided into Southern, Central, and Northern Andes regions
Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust and upper mantle. Plates are around 100 km thick and consist of oceanic and continental crust. Oceanic crust contains mafic basaltic rocks, continental crust felsic granitic rocks
Natural science describes and predicts natural phenomena through empirical evidence. Science uses formal tools like mathematics and logic to explain nature. Modern science succeeded classical approaches to natural philosophy
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary carbonate rock. Composed mainly of calcite fragments from plankton skeletons. Contains 2-4% other minerals, mainly quartz and clay. Has porosity ranging from 35-47%
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only known life-bearing object. The planet has an average diameter of 12,742 km and is the densest in the Solar System. Earth's surface is 70.8% ocean water and 29.2% land. The planet is spherical with a circumference of about 40,000 km