earth and life science

Why is earth a rare planet

it is the only planet in the solar system that permits life

what does the atmosphere consist of

78.1% nitrogen 20.09% oxygen 0.9% argon 350ppm carbon dioxide and 0.17 other gases

earths_________ protects us from the suns radiation

atmosphere

how many percent is the reflected radiation by the atmosphere

30%

how much percentage is absorbed by the atmosphere

25%

how much percentage is absorbed by the earth’s surface

45%

the ozone or o3 is composed of what?

three oxygen atoms

what layer absorbs the ultraviolet wavelengths

ozone layer that is abundant in o3 and is a man made product

the soil is a what?

a living medium for all growth of all kinds of vegetations

what is hydrosphere and what does it helps us with

a water reservoir a source of fish and a thermostat and heat reservoir and a way for trasnportation

all of the atmospheres in order

troposphere, ozone layer , stratosphere, mesosphere, kurman line, thermosphere,exobase,exosphere

the four subsystems of earth

atmosphere ,geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere

it is the earth’s envelope and makes up of all the gases in our planet

atmosphere

it extends to 14.5km above the earth’s surface and it is the lowest layer where weather forms

troposphere

it is found 14.5 to 50km above the earth’s surface and ozone layer is also found in this layer

stratosphere

it extends from 50 to 85km above the earth’s surface. it protects the earth from the impact of space debris

mesosphere

it is found 85 to 600 km above the earth’s surface. it has charged particles that are affected by the earth’s magnetic field. The particles create the auroras or northern and southern lights.

thermosphere

the farthest layer

exosphere

it includes all the soil, rocks and minerals present in the crust to the core of the earth

geosphere

how much water is on the earth

71% of water is in the world

it is comprimised of all living things and the areas where they are found. it includes all microbes, plants , and animals

biosphere

the four subsystems help each other how?

by using matter and energy

a naturally occuring inorganic solid material that has a fixed structure

mineral

it depends on the elements which constitute the crystal lattice the arrangement of atoms, groups of atoms in a specific pattern and with high symmetry. the reflection of certain wavelengths of light by the crystal lattice results in the color perceived by the observer.

color

the color of the mineral in its powdered form

streak

the relative differences in the opacity and transparency of a mineral as light is reflected on it surface. this describes the sparkles of the mineral surfaces.

luster

it is the ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of the water with an equal volume.

specific gravity

the measure of the resistance of the surface to abrasions or scracthes it is generally measured using mohs scale of hardness

hardness

what minerals are on the softer side of the mohs scale of hardness

talc gypsum calcite

what minerals are on the harder side of the mohs scale of hardness

fluorite apatite feldspar

what minerals are on the hardest side of the mohs scale of hardness

quartz topaz conundrum diamond

the tendency of the mineral to be split or be broken along flat surface

cleavage

it refers to the texture or shape of the minerals surface when the mineral breaks in the forms other than flat surfaces

fracture

refers to the behavior of the mineral under deformation or stress such as cutting crushing bending or hitting

tenacity

it refers to the growth crystal pattern of a mineral as single or aggregated

crystal habit

what chemical properties are commonly used to describe a mineral

solubility and melting point

what are the most common rock forming minerals

quartz feldspar mica pyroxene amphibole and olivine

a glassy looking hard substance with white streaks

quartz

it is quite hard with a mons hardness of 6 it is a light colored material usually white but they can have lighter shades of red or green. it has a glassy luster

feldspar

it is soft with mohs hardness ranging from 2 to 2.5 it is easily identified by its perfect cleavage, reducing it to thin smooth flakes. its shine is responsible for the flashes of light in rocks such as granite and slate

mica

has a glassy luster with streaks of white, light green, or light brown. it is generally black in color and has stubby prismatic crystals. its key feature is its two cleavages at around 90 degrees

pyroxene

it has a dark color with a mohs hardness ranging from 5 to 6 it has a glassy luster and an opaque characteristic

amphibole

a glassy looking transparent substance that is almost as hard as quartz

olivine