Nucleosynthesis, Star Formation, and Cosmic Expansion: Key Concepts

Through what process are new elements formed

Nucleosynthesis (combining or splitting previous elements)

What are the 4 main types of nucleosynthesis

Big bang, Steller, Supernova, Lab

When was the big bang

13.8B

What is our evidence for an expanding universe

The Red Shift

What is the Doppler Effect

The phenomenon in which the frequency of wave energy appears to change when a moving source of wave energy passes an observer

How does the doppler effect create the Red Shift

Wavelengths absorbed by distant galaxies are shifted toward the red end of the spectrum which indicates the wavelength-emitting objects (the stars) are moving away from the observer (Earth)12Observed red-shifted galaxies

How were the first stars created

Dense universe attracts matter, swirls and collects matter forming protoplanetry disk. Center gets dense and hot and glows. increasing mass magnifies this. Steller Nucleosynthesis occurs

Whats the first stage of a star called

protoplanetry disk

Define a fusion reaction

combining smaller atoms to make a larger atom - energy is released during this process

Define a fission reaction

splitting of a large atom into smaller atoms - energy is released during this process

Stellar Nucleosynthesis

the production of new, larger atoms by fusion reactions in stars

How does a star balance forces

Stars exist in a balance between inward gravity-driven forces and outward thermal-driven forces

Upto what size elements are made in medium sized stars

Carbon

How is a planetary nebula formed

When a medium sized star sheds all its mass as a result of He running out

Whats at the center of a planetary Nebula

White Dwarf

How large is a massive star

7x the sun

Upto what element is formed in the core of massive stars

Fe

How does a supernova occur

When a massive star can no longer sustain fission

Up to and including what elements are formed in a supernova

Uranium

Whats are planetesimals

Dust and ice agglomerated that evolve to form Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

Whats accretion

clumping togetherof matter throughcollision

Definition of a planet

1) orbits a star

2) large enough for its own gravity to make it round

3) "cleared its neighborhood" of smaller objects

Two types of planets in our solar system

Telluric (rocky) and Gas Planets

What are Chondritic meteorites

undifferentiated stony(non-metallic) meteorite that has not been modified, by either melting or differentiation of the parent body

Planetary Differentiation

the process by which the chemical elements of a planetary body accumulate heterogeneously throughout that body.

What are the two possible reasons for planetary differentiation

Gravitational separation

Chemical differentiation

What was the key feature of Hadean earth?

Molten ocean

How did metal get to the top of the core

Iron droplets settled in the magma ocean to form a pond on the lower mantle which led to large DIAPIRS of molten metal to migrate to the core

What is a siderophile

elements attracted to IRON

What is a chalcophile

elements attracted to SULFUR

What is an atmophile

elements attracted to the ATMOSPHERE

What is a lithophile?

elements attracted to OXYGEN

How do chondritic meteorites prove the OG mix

Have not differentiated much since the solar system formed, thus contain elements in their original proportions in each depth

When did the core form

First 100M years

What is the inner core of earth made of

Solid Iron, Ni, S

What is the outer core of earth made of

Liquid Iron, NI, S

What is the lower mantle of earth made of

Ultramafic silicates

What is a xenolith

a piece of rock within an igneous rock that has been introduced from elsewhere

What type of wave is P

Body wave

What type of wave is an S-wave

Body Wave

Which wave (P/S) can travel through Air and Liquid?

Primary Wave

Where is the particle motion for S waves

Up and Down

Where is the particle motion for P waves

Side to Side

How does density effect speed of seismic waves

density up, speed up

Hypocenter vs Epicenter

The hypocenter is the point within the earth where an earthquake rupture starts.

The epicenter is the point directly above it at the surface of the Earth.

What creates the earths magnetic field

The flow of liquid metal iron in the core

Whats another way to say solar wind

ionising radiation

What protects us from solar wind

Earths magnetosphere

What is declination

Difference between true and magnetic "coordinates"

What is inclination?

angle between magnetic field line and surface of the earth

What are igneous rocks

forms when molten rock from the Earth cools.

What is paleomagnetism?

the study of the magnetic properties of rocks

The two parts of the upper mantle are

Asthenospheric and Lithospheric

What is the lithosphere

the relatively rigid, non-flowable, outer 100- to 150-km-thick layer of the Earth,constituting the crust and the top part of the mantle

What does moho mean

The boundry between the earths crust and the lithospheric mantle, a distinct change of density

What is the asthenosphere

the ductile layer of the mantle that lies between 100-150km and 350 km deep

Which layer of the mantle is hot, solid, and ductile

Asthenosphere

What gives us plate tectonics

The movement of the rigid lithosphere over the ductile asthenosphere

Do P waves travel slower or faster through the mantle

Fast

Pressure = ???

density x acceleration of gravity x depth

km/m^3 x 10m/s^2 x meters

In what units is the geothermal gradient expressed

˚C/km

Where does crustal heat come from

radioactive decay of U, K, Th

Where does mantle heat come from

heat from radioactiveelements & core crystallization

1 Bar in Pa is ...

100,000 Pa

What differs throughout isotopes

number of neutrons

What happens during supernova nucelosynthsis to create larger elements

neutron capture

What are the 4 types of seismic waves

P wave, S wave, Reighleigh, Love Waves

What are the two subclasses of seismic waves?

Body waves, Surface waves

What are the two body waves

S and P waves

What is the surface wave

Reighleigh-Love Wave

What are the four main elements on earth by mass 

Oxygen, Iron, Silicon, Magnesium

Which body wave is compressional 

P-wave

Which body wave is shear

S-wave