Study Notes for Earth Science Exam (copy)

What are the five major Earth systems?

Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, Geosphere

What is the biosphere?

All living organisms on Earth.

What does the atmosphere consist of?

The layer of gases surrounding Earth.

What is the hydrosphere?

Comprises all water on Earth (surface, underground, and atmospheric).

Define cryosphere.

Frozen water, including glaciers and ice.

What determines the strength of gravitational force?

The mass of objects and the distance between them.

How did Earth's spherical shape form?

Gravity pulled together dust and debris, and early Earth's interior melted to smooth imperfections.

What affects the relationship between mass and size?

A smaller object can have more mass if it contains more matter.

What is density?

Density is expressed as mass divided by volume.

Where are the most dense layers of Earth located?

Most dense layers are found in the center.

List Earth's layers from least to most dense.

1. Crust, 2. Uppermost Mantle, 3. Asthenosphere, 4. Upper Mantle, 5. Lower Mantle, 6. Outer Core, 7. Inner Core.

What methods do scientists use to study Earth's interior?

Deep well samples, seismic waves, and deep mine samples.

What is the lithosphere composed of?

The crust and the uppermost mantle.

Describe the outer core.

Liquid due to higher temperature; identified through seismic wave studies.

What is the inner core?

A solid ball of dense iron with extremely high temperature and pressure.

What is the characteristic of the asthenosphere?

Rocks below the lithosphere are partially melted and can flow.

What are the key physical properties of minerals?

Color, luster, streak, hardness, cleavage and fracture, density, and special properties.

How is a rock defined?

A rock is a natural solid mixture of minerals or grains.

What are the three major rock types?

Sedimentary, Igneous, Metamorphic.

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

From the deposition and compaction of layered sediments.

What is the significance of compaction and cementation in sedimentary rock formation?

They are essential for forming sedimentary rocks.

Explain the difference between foliation and non-foliation in metamorphic rocks.

Foliated rocks contain aligned minerals; non-foliated rocks have a random mineral arrangement.

What is the continental drift hypothesis?

Continents are in constant motion, supported by fossil evidence across separated landmasses.

What are the types of plate boundaries?

Divergent, Transform, and Convergent.

What is convection current?

Circulating flow in the asthenosphere caused by temperature and density differences.

Describe the principle of superposition.

Oldest rock layers are at the bottom.

What is radiocarbon dating used for?

To date ancient rock formations by measuring isotope ratios.

How old is the Earth?

Exceeding 4 billion years.