Earth Science Facts

Flashcards in the FILL_IN_THE_BLANK style based on Earth Science lecture notes.

The same substance, even if you change its size or shape, has the _ density.

same

As pressure increases, density ___.

increases

As temperature increases, density ___.

decreases

Water __ when it freezes causing its density to .

expands, decreases

Water is densest at degrees Celsius when it is a _.

4, liquid

The true shape of the Earth is an __.

oblate spheroid

The layers of the atmosphere where temperature increases with altitude include ___.

stratosphere & thermosphere

The __ of Polaris is equal to the observers .

altitude, latitude

lines run east to west & measure distance north & south of the __.

Latitude, equator

lines run north to south & measure distance east & west of the _.

Longitude, prime meridian

The Earth _ once on its axis every ___.

rotates, 24 hours

The Earth once around the Sun every __.

revolves, 365.25 days

Longitude is based on observations of the __.

sun

The closer the isolines (contour, isobar, isotherm) the _the slope (gradient).

steeper

The is June 21st; the sun rises _ of east; the sun is shining directly over ___on this day.

summer solstice, north, Tropic of Cancer

The is Dec 21st; the sun rises _ of east; the sun is shining directly over __on this day.

winter solstice, south, Tropic of Capricorn

The _ is March 21 & the is on Sept 23. The sun rises east and the sun is shining directly over the ___.

vernal equinox, autumnal equinox, due, Equator

The equator always has __hours of daylight each day.

12

The lower the altitude of the sun, the __ the shadow

longer

The higher the altitude of the sun, the _ the insolation.

greater

There are two evidences that the earth ROTATES: 1. A appears to change its direction as it swings. 2. Global winds appear to to the _ in the Northern Hemisphere.

pendulum, deflect, right

Earth is closer to the Sun during the season.

winter

__ _ surfaces are better absorbers of electromagnetic energy than __ surfaces.

dark and rough, light and smooth

Good absorbers of energy are also good _ of energy.

radiators

_ is the transfer of energy due to density differences in fluids.

Convection

Energy moves from levels of energy to levels of _ energy.

high, low

During a phase change, when a liquid turns to a gas, there is no __ change.

temperature

Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor are _ gases that __ heat.

greenhouse, trap

In the asthenosphere, _ __ causes the tectonic plates to move.

convection currents

As temperature increases, air pressure __.

decreases

As moisture content increases, air pressure .

decreases

As altitude increases, air pressure .

decreases

__ are due to differences in air pressure.

winds

A high pressure air mass has winds that blow ___the center and __wise. This is called a __.

out of, clockwise, anticyclone

A low pressure air mass has winds that blow ___the center and __wise. This is called a __.

into, counterclockwise, cyclone

Weather patterns in the USA move from the __ to the due to the __ winds

west, east, prevailing

Winds blow from __ to _ pressure.

high, low

fronts move the fastest.

cold

Porosity (the amount of between particles) as the particle size increases.

space, stays the same

Permeability (the rate that water _ through the soil) _ as the particle size increases.

travels, increases

Capillarity (when water moves ) _as the particle size increases.

up, decreases

Air temperature _ as air rises.

decreases

is the force behind all erosion.

gravity

is the number one agent of erosion.

running water

Stream velocity depends on & _.

slope, discharge

The streams velocity is faster on the _of the streams meander.

outside

___, __ & _particles settle faster in water.

round, dense, large

In vertical sorting the particles are on the bottom.

largest

Glacial deposits of sediments are & river deposits are _.

unsorted, sorted

Glacial erosion creates shaped valleys and river erosion creates _ shaped valleys

U, V

Horizontal sorting is caused by a _ in a stream s ____

decrease, velocity

Sedimentary rocks are formed in layers.

horizontal

Sedimentary rocks are formed when sediments are and __

compacted, cemented

Igneous rocks are formed when ___ or ___ is cooled and

magma, lava, crystallized

When igneous rocks cool fast, crystals are formed. The environment of formation is ___.

small, extrusive

When igneous rocks cool slowly, ___crystals are formed. The environment of formation is ____.

large, intrusive

Metamorphic rocks are formed by extreme ____ and __ or just extreme _.

heat, pressure, pressure

We can identify a regional metamorphic rock because it shows _.

banding

Mineral properties depend on its of atoms.

internal arrangement

Rounder orbits have an eccentricity closer to _.

zero

Mid-ocean ridges are where ____ is created.

sea floor

Trenches form at _ plate boundaries.

convergent

A rift forms at a _ plate boundary.

divergent

P-waves travel than S-waves.

faster

P-waves can travel through & __, but S-waves can only travel through __. This is the cause for the ___zone.

solids, liquids, solids, shadow

You need ___ seismic stations to locate an epicenter.

three

When rock strata have been undisturbed, then the layer is the .

bottom, oldest

Intrusions and faults are __ than the rock that they cut through and _.

younger, more recent

An unconformity is caused by & ___.

erosion, deposition

An arid landscape has slopes & a humid landscape has _slopes.

steep, smooth

We use Carbon-14 to find the age of things that were and up to _years old.

living, 50,000

All celestial objects (sun, moon and stars) appear to move to the _.

west

The moon has ___ because of the angle at which we view its surface. Remember half of it is always lit.

phases

The planets revolve around the Sun in an orbit.

elliptical

The model is Earth centered & the ___ is sun centered

geocentric, heliocentric

To be considered a good index fossil, a fossil must be: a) ___ b) ___

widespread, short lived

As you move further inland, the average temperature range gets ____.

larger

The closer a planet is in its orbit, the its orbital velocity and the __ the sun’s apparent diameter.

faster, larger

The farther from a ridge the ____ the age of the sea floor.

older

The larger the distance between foci, the _ the eccentricity.

larger

From sunrise to sunset, the length of your shadow .

decreases

Any rock that has been metamorphosed is __ than the rocks it cuts through.

younger

Weather associated with a cold front is _

violent thunderstorms, followed by clear, cooler skies.

Weather associated with a warm front is ___

light, steady precipitation and warmer temperatures.

The “spheres” of the Earth include a. _ b. _ c. _

Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere

Earth’s core is made up primarily of and _.

iron, nickel

3 pieces of evidence for sea-floor spreading include a. ___ b. ___ c. ___

Magnetic Reversals, Earthquake Patterns, Age of the Sea Floor

Physical weathering changes the _ and types include- a. b. c.

appearance, Frost Action, Abrasion, Root Action

Chemical weathering changes the _ and types include - a. __ b. __ c. __

chemical composition, Oxidation, Hydration, Acid Rain

The three types of landscapes and their characteristics include a. _ b. _ c. _

Mountains - high elevation, distorted rock structure, steep slopes , Plateaus - medium elevation, horizontal rock layers, relatively flat, Plains - low elevation, horizontal rock layers, flat and level

Waves on the electromagnetic spectrum are classified by their .

wavelength

The dominant form of incoming electromagnetic waves from the sun include and . The Earth absorbs these wavelengths and re-radiates the energy as __.

visible light, ultraviolet rays, infrared energy

Clouds form when .

the air Temperature drops to the dew point, water vapor condenses on condensation nuclei, the air is saturated

How can we tell the direction a river is flowing on a topographic map?

The river flows in the opposite direction of the contour lines.

Weather instruments - a) Temperature - _ b) Pressure - _ c) Wind Speed - __ d) Wind Direction - ___ e) Relative Humidity - ___

Thermometer, Barometer, Anemometer, Wind Vane, Psychrometer

_ and _ cause a planet to have a higher gravitational force with another planet or star.

Mass, distance

At the Equator, winds _ and causing a climate.

rises, cools, desert

Pieces of evidence for continental drift include

shape, mineral composition, fossil evidence

Chemical weathering occurs the fastest in climates that are and __.

warm, moist

What layer(s) of the Earth are liquid? How do we know? ____

Outer Core, We know by observing seismic waves.