Earth and Space Flashcards

Flashcards about Earth and Space, covering topics like Earth's structure, spheres, and geological phenomena.

What is a planet?

A round celestial body that revolves around a star and does not produce light.

What are the three main layers of Earth's internal structure?

Crust, Mantle, and Core.

What are the key characteristics of the Earth's crust?

Solid, varies in thickness, made of moving plates.

How is the Earth's mantle divided?

Upper Mantle (semi-fluid) and Lower Mantle (solid).

How is the Earth's core divided?

Outer Core (liquid) and Inner Core (solid).

What are the four spheres of the Earth?

Biosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Atmosphere.

What is the biosphere?

Regions on Earth where life can exist.

What is the lithosphere?

Solid part of the planet, including rock and sediment.

What is the hydrosphere?

Liquid part of the planet, including all water.

What is the atmosphere?

Gaseous part of the planet, including all air.

Lithosphere is a _.

rigid structure that comprises the Earth’s crust and part of the upper mantle

What forms the hydrosphere?

All bodies of water on Earth's surface.

Name some examples of what forms the hydrosphere.

Oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, glaciers, ice floats, icebergs, and water vapour.

Why is sea water salty?

It has a great quantity of dissolved mineral salts.

What is fresh water?

Water that has few dissolved minerals and is required by humans, plants, and animals to exist.

What is drinking water?

Fresh water that is safe to drink and satisfies specific requirements.

What is tap water?

Fresh water that has chlorine and fluorine added to it.

What are the seven phenomena that occur during the water cycle?

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff, infiltration, and groundwater flow.

What is the atmosphere's main role?

A protective envelope of gas that surrounds the Earth and acts as an insulator.

What are the two main gases in fresh air?

Nitrogen and oxygen.

What are the four layers of the atmosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere.

What is the troposphere?

Layer of the atmosphere that contains 80% of all the air and most water vapor.

What is the stratosphere?

Layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer .

What is the thermosphere?

This is a layer of the atmosphere that protects the Earth contains the ionosphere.

What are the main causes of the thinning of the ozone layer?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and aerosol products.

What is Continental Drift?

The theory that all land masses were attached at one time but then broke apart and drifted to their current locations.

What is Plate Tectonics?

The theory that all of the Earth’s crust is divided into vast rigid plates that can move.

Which scientist modified Wegener’s theory of continental drift and coined the theory of plate tectonics?

John Tuzo Wilson.

What are the three main ways plates can move?

Divergence (Rifting), Subduction (Convergence), and Slip Zone (Transform Fault).

What is a Divergence Zone?

Formed when 2 plates move apart.

What is a Subduction Zone?

Formed when 2 plates move towards each other (oceanic and continental crust).

What is a Convergence Zone?

Formed when 2 plates move towards each other (continental crust).

What is a Slip Zone?

Formed when 2 plates move sideways against each other (usually at a plate boundary).