Earth Science Final Exam Terms Whitmore

Earth Science

The collection of different but related disciplines that together give us a unique understanding of the world in which we live and it's context in space

Geology

The study of solid earth

Hydrology

The study of water

Oceanography

the study of the ocean

Meterology

The study of the earth's atmosphere in relation to weather and climate

astronomy

The study of the heavens and it's bodies

Young Earth Creation

Held by Christians today

Old Earth Creationism

a theory of creation that views the earth as very old, perhaps as old as 4.5 billion years, God still created, flood is local not global

Theistic Evolution

the idea that God used evolution to make everything in the world

Naturalistic Evolution

The assumption that non-living produces living through successive generations; lower forms to higher forms, no guidance, no purpose, and no design in nature.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Experimental science

Science that begins with and depends on careful experiments and measurements

Historical Science

An attempt to explain the past based on the present

Atmosphere

A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.

Hydrosphere

All the water on earth

Geosphere

the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle

oceanic crust and continental crust

two types of crust

Mantle

The layer of hot, solid material between Earth's crust and core.

Lithosphere

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust. This is where earths plates are

Asthenosphere

The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.

Core

Center of the earth

Outer core

the liquid layer of the Earth's core that lies beneath the mantle and surrounds the inner core

Inner Core

A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth

System

A series of interactive components working together to form a complex and interdependent unit

Resource

Any material that can be used by people

renewable resource

A natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed

Non-renewable resources

Resources that exist in fixed quantities

Reserve

A resource that has been determined to exist and has a good likelihood of existing in a resource are

Proved Reserve

a reserve that is known to exist and can be recovered economically

What are the systems that comprise the study of earth science?

Geology

Hydrology

Oceanography

Meteorology

Astronomy

What are the two branches of Geology?

physical and historical

What are the 4 views of Earth History held today?

Young Earth

Old Earth

Theistic Evolution

Naturalistic Evolution

What are the two processes of scientific theory used today?

Experimental

Historical

What are the 4 major divisions to the earth?

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

Geosphere

Biosphere

How many gasses is the atmosphere composed of

3

What gasses make up the atmosphere?

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon

How much of the ocean is made of saline?

97%

What are the divisions of the geosphere?

Crust

Mantle

Core

What is the region that composes the crust and the upper mantle?

The Lithosphere. Plates ride on the asthenosphere

What is the core made of?

iron and nickel

Where is the Earth's magnetic field generated?

outer core

What is the order of the earth's geosphere?

Crust

Lithosphere

Mantle

Asthenosphere

Outer core

Inner core

What is a conventional view of Earth History?

Cenozoic

Mesozoic

Paleozoic

(Cambrian Explosion)

Precambrian

Uniformitarianism

A principle that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes

What are the predictions of Naturalism?

Transitional Forms

Beneficial Mutations

Things are improving

Evolution of new species

What is a Creation view of Earth History

Cenozoic

Mesozoic

Paleozoic

Precambrian

Where were the flood rocks formed?

From the great unconformity through the mesozoic and Paleozoic areas

Where is the Great Unconformity?

Between the Precambrian and Paleozoic