Study Guide for Earth Science Midterm 2025-26

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts for the Earth Science midterm.

Big Bang

The initial explosion that created the universe approximately 13.8 billion years ago.

Hydrogen

The most common and least complicated element in the universe.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The range of all types of EM radiation, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays.

ROY G. BIV

An acronym to remember the colors of visible light in order from longest to shortest wavelength: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

Planetary Day

One full rotation on a planet’s axis.

Goldilocks Zone

The region around a star where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist.

Barycenter

The center of mass around which two or more bodies orbit.

Law of Ellipses

Kepler's first law stating that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Law of Equal Areas

Kepler's second law indicating that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.

Law of Harmonies

Kepler's third law stating the square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Solstice

The time when the Sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator, occurring twice a year.

Equinox

The time when day and night are of approximately equal duration, occurring twice a year.

Tides

The periodic rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.

Neap Tides

Tides that occur when the difference between high and low tide is smallest, occurring during the first and third quarters of the moon.

Spring Tides

Tides that occur when the difference between high and low tide is greatest, occurring during new and full moons.

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of moving objects caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Convection

The transfer of heat through the movement of fluids, where warmer fluid rises and cooler fluid sinks.

Tornado Watch

A notification that tornadoes are possible in the area.

Tornado Warning

A notification that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.